moon mission

Space centres films on Chandrayaan-1 attract scores of students

The mini-theatre at Space Application Centre is being booked by schools wanting students to know more about the countrys first unmanned moon mission

DILIP PATEL


Never before has the Space Application Centre witnessed such a spiralling demand for educational films. The documentaries made on Chandrayaan-1 , Indias first unmanned moon mission, are attracting a large number of students and those interested in science to the 40-seat theatre at SAC.
Such is the rush that SAC is now planning to construct a 100-seat theatre on the premises . Baroda High School has booked the theatre till August 28. Every day, 150 students from the school watch three documentaries here.
The first movie on Chandrayaan Mission to Moon shows the technology used in making the spacecraft, its launch and the images it captured . I was always interested in knowing more about the making of Chandrayaan-1 and the people behind it. It is an ambitious project. Over a twoyear period, it will survey the lunar surface to produce a complete map of its chemical characteristics and three-dimensional topography, says Prakrut Chauhan, a student.
Jignesh Patil, his friend, found the high resolution images sent by Chandrayaan very interesting . It has sent back 40,000 images and the documentary analysis some really stunning pictures. There is so much one gets to learn, he says.
Passage to Moon, another 30-minute film, gives interesting details and visuals on manned moon missions that have taken place so far. A third film Moon Within Reach will be screened soon. SAC has so far conducted 2,500 screenings of the three films that have been watched by over 2 lakh people.
Most of the audience comprises schoolchildren. But we also have scientific experts and engineering students lining up to watch these films.
A M Suchday, engineer, Vikram Sarabhai Space Exhibition , says: The demand is so huge that we are planning to construct a new 100-seat theatre . We have already sent a proposal to the higher authorities. Says Jayati Katwala, a student, Our scientists have put in nine years of hardwork to make Chandrayaan-1 successful. This is no ordinary feat. I think SAC should screen the movie in every school. Her classmate Dhwani Vakil says: The movies also document the scientific achievements of India since 1963, when ISRO commenced operations.