Chandrayaan spurs space ambition in IITs

MUMBAI: When Chandrayaan-I soared into space last October, so did the dreams of many young and aspiring IITians keen on a career with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). Says a professor from IIT-Bombay's aerospace engineering department, "Ever since Chandrayaan lifted off, space has become the magic word among students. They aspire to become rocket scientists and hope to play a role in taking India beyond the moon some day."
The fact that Isro has planned a manned mission to the low earth orbit (Leo, 2000 km above earth) in 2014, a mission to Mars around 2020 and another to the moon is a great source of excitement, he adds.
Two fourth year BTech aerospace students, Shashank Tamaskar and Kartavya Neema, are already doing a research project on interplanetary flight. Says Shashank, "Inspired by Chandrayaan-I, I am doing a study on a satellite's flight from Leo to the moon." He started work on the project in August 2008, when Chandrayaan was being primed for its historic launch, and hopes to complete it in ayear.
Asked if he would like to join Isro, he says, "Definitely, after I complete my studies." The budding rocket scientist said that the focus among students earlier had been on designing planes, but "with the success of Chandrayaan, most of us are talking about designing rockets and satellites".
Kartavya says he is designing a flight path for a satellite to Mars. "For both of us, the inspiration came from Chandrayaan," he confirms, adding thathe'd love to work at Isro.
Echoing their views is Gyandeep Singh Momi, an aerospace student at IIT-Kharagpur. "Space has become the catchword here after Chandrayaan and most aerospace students want to be involved with space technology." Gyandeep says that Chandrayaan also had a strong impact at their student festival earlier this year. "Nearly 50% of the emphasis was on rocketry. And we had a Nasa astronaut talking to us."
After India tested its nuclear weapons at Pokhran on May 11 and 13 in 1998, the number of applications received by BARC's training school in Trombay increased manifold. Today, job openings at Isro carry more lucrative packagesbecause a slew of projects is in the pipeline.
The space buzz has infected IIT-Kanpur as well. S Kamle, head of the aerospace engineering department there, says, "Now, there's a lot of excitement in our department about space, with students talking about rocketry and satellites." They had been designing a rover for Chandrayaan-II, he adds, which is slated for launch in 2012. But during PM Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow in November 2007, a decision was taken to carry a Russian rover and lander instead.
IIT-Bombay is also designing a micro satellite which will be launched by Isro's PSLV. The project started when Chandrayaan-I was steadily moving from the laboratory and workshop to the launch pad at Sriharikota.
Isro is well aware of this groundswell of excitement. "The success of Chandrayaan-I has given a lot of confidence to students. More now want to be part of India's space programme," says its chief spokesperson S Satish.