On 23rd Aug 2023, ISRO made history by landing a spacecraft close to the south pole of the moon. For a long time in India, I have not seen such an enthusiasm for science and technology, and it was indeed heartening to experience this. In reference to the proceedings in recent times, below are some brief lessons I learnt :
- For space programs, strong foundations in computation coupled with deep understanding of computer-assisted hardware is vital. Traditionally, India had good strength in computational aspect, but this mission showcased its capability in computer-assisted hardware and manipulation. As expected, ISRO is leading the way, and it is important to emulate this software-hardware coherence in other sectors.
- Science and Technology need not be a zero-sum game. Collectively, they have a lot to offer to the Indian society. The mission shows how investing in scientific activities can positively influence a society. In an essence, collective scientific endeavors like Chandrayaan strengthens our democracy.
- ISRO’s ability to learn from past failure is commendable. It showcased how scientific experiments should be approached, and how missions should be accomplished.
- There was a significant proportion and contribution of women in Chandrayaan 3.
- A reasonable and sustained research-budget given to a dedicated set of people can, sometimes, achieve remarkable things. That should not be a reason to limit funding towards research. This should encourage our society to further support scientific research.
- Some parts of social media and online news portals played a better role in broadcasting and discussing the mission than Indian TV channels.
- Some news papers (I read Indian Express (in print) and non-paywalled parts of Hindu online) did a good job of explaining many scientific concepts.
- Global south has tremendous scientific potential. The Indian sub-continent must take up collective scientific endeavors to have a greater impact in the region. India can lead the way.
- Classical physics and Engineering Science is alive and kicking. There is still a lot to explore and understand nature at ‘macro’ scale. It also highlights the importance of strong foundations in science and mathematics.
- At the heart of all these things is human curiosity and rationality. Nurturing this curiosity and rationality is our collective responsibility. It not only offers transient joy, but also orients our collective action to make this world a better place. After all, it resonates with वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम (“The World Is One Family“).
VISMAYA - History & Philosophy of Physics 