Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Looking for answers on the moon

Shaping up future: Former ISRO chairmanG. Madhavan Nair addressing students at the‘EduWorld Genius Meet 2010' in the city on Saturday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: G. Madhavan Nair, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO), said here on Saturday that exploring the moon would help us understand our planet better, besides offering possibilities of finding solutions for technological challenges faced by mankind.

He was speaking on the topic ‘Chandrayaan and beyond' at the EduWorld Genius Meet 2010 organised by EduWorld Foundation. “Moon's origin is a mystery. By studying it deeply, we can throw light on the origin of earth, solar system and even the universe. There is also man's selfish interest for the commercial exploitation of minerals found on the moon. For example helium 3, emitted from the sun and deposited on the moon, could turn out to be a solution to the fossil fuel crisis in the future,” he said.

Mr.Nair pointed out that even though many nations had explored moon since the 1960s, it was India's Chandrayaan that became instrumental in discovering water on moon.

Replying to students' queries Mr Madhavan Nair added that with concerted efforts, resources and funds, India could launch a manned mission to moon by 2021.

As many as 125 students participated in the one-day programme which included talks and interactive sessions by Indian Institute of Space Science Technology director B.N. Suresh, Brahmos Aerospace managing director A. Sivathanu Pillai, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) director E.D. Jemmis and Shanti Swarup Bhatnakar Award 2009 winner S.K. Satheesh. EduWorld Foundation chairman V.S. Jayakumar and Dr Abraham George were also present.

Addressing the students Mr. Pillai said that India, who was once denied missile technology by advanced countries in the name of missile control regime, had now developed the world's first and fastest supersonic cruise missile Brahmos. Mr. Pillai delved in detail on the evolution and successful tests of Brahmos, developed in collaboration with Russia.

Mr. Suresh said that it was necessary to bridge the divide between academia and industry to meet the technological challenges. He added that it was also essential to integrate economical and technological development to meet society's needs.

On global warming

Mr. Satheesh, faculty of Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Research (CAOS), IISc, Banglore, said that global warming and climate change has had a serious impact on the Indian monsoon system. The scientist, a native of Neyyattinkara, said that the long-term impact of global warming on climate change was difficult to predict.

“Our predictions on global warming are based on certain models, which again are based on unknown parameters. So it is difficult to conceive how global warming, if continuing at the present rate, may affect the earth in a few decades,” he said.

Mr. Satheesh said that global warming could be addressed only through global consensus. He said that the developed countries, which are demanding that the developing one reduce black carbon aerosol emission, should first control their own emission of carbon dioxide, which can remain in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. On the other hand aerosol particles, which form the major part of emission of developing countries, remain in the atmosphere only for a few weeks.

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