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Book Review
Reaching for the moon
KIRAN KARNIK
DESTINATION MOON — India’s Quest for the Moon, Mars and Beyond: Pallava Bagla, Subhadra Menon; HarperCollins Publishers, A-53, Sector 57, Noida-201301. Rs.195.
The moon — long mythologised, revered, romanticised — has also been an object of mystery. From causing tides to affecting human behaviour (hence, “lunatic”) — not to mention its impact on heroes and heroines in popular Indian cinema! — it has been given many attributes, and astronomers have studied it from the earliest days of this science.
In recent decades, the scientific importance of the moon has vastly increased, since it is recognised as the repository of the early stages of evolution of the solar system. Rather like diasporas that carry and freeze the culture of the time of their migration, the moon — unlike the Earth and other planets that are still geologically active — has been geologically frozen for billions of years, making it the ideal object to study the history of the solar system. Apart from science, the moon is also of interest in terms of its mineral wealth — most of all Helium 3, which may be the fuel of the future — and as a staging post for exploring other planets or for looking even beyond the solar system.
Of course, it is not just this aspect of science that drove the “moon race”; equally it was the political dimension — the cold war, national prestige — and military-cum-technology factors. Having been taken by surprise at the Soviet launch of a satellite ahead of them, the Americans with great determination and very large investments did put a man on the moon first. Now, after a long interregnum, there is renewed interest, and moon missions have been launched by China and Japan — and now, by India.
Insights
It is this story of the moon — the mythology, scientific interest and missions to explore it — that Pallava Bagla and Subhadra Menon narrate in their very topical book, published just before the launch of India’s Chandrayaan-1. While the focus is on this mission, the book provides very useful information about the moon and why it is scientifically important, and the moon missions of other countries. Importantly, it does so in a style that is engaging and a language that is intelligible to the layperson. It also provides some special insights into India’s space programme, based on the deep knowledge and long engagement that Bagla has had with this effort.
A book of this nature is necessarily more focused on narrative, on documenting and explaining, rather than on critiquing. Yet, especially given the deep association that Bagla has had with India’s science establishment, one looked for a greater degree of questioning and analysis. Admittedly, the long interview with the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), G.Madhavan Nair is more probing and, therefore, interesting. In fact, a very valuable part of the book is this interview, as also the excellent ones with The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) chief and the head of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The latter is surprisingly candid and provides some insight into the thinking and plans in China, as also the clear separation (and independence or isolation?) of the scientific effort from the technological one, the manned programme from the lunar exploration (or scientific) one. The two foreword pieces by Madhavan Nair and his predecessor, K. Kasturirangan, are also significant.
Missions
The authors do quote Vikram Sarabhai and mention “satellites for society” (i.e., for societal applications), but seem to feel that lunar missions and manned missions are the next and more advanced stage of evolution. Yet, the greatest thing about India’s space programme has been its single-minded focus on applying space technology for real problems.
Much of the space science too was related to better weather prediction or remote sensing. Is there a danger that the glamour of “Indians on the moon” will be a diversion? Is the societal applications programme taking a back seat? Is national prestige overtaking national needs? There is little discussion on these issues. Equally, while the U.S. sanctions and technology denial are mentioned, the lessons that might translate from the space programme to the nuclear arena are not touched upon.
It is, of course, unfair to expect this book with its clearly defined objective to deal with these issues. For these, one hopes the authors will write another one! This book, the “untold story of India’s journey to the moon” and a “layman’s guide to the Indian lunar mission,” fulfils its purpose, providing a wealth of extremely useful information not only on India’s moon missions, but also on its space programme and the moon missions of other countries. The authors have aimed this book at “young, curious minds and… interested adults.” They will certainly find it exciting and stimulating. It should also be required reading for policy makers.
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