Chandrayaan and Beyond : Indian Space Exploration Programme: New Findings About the Moon
Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction: Moon--the new frontier. 2. Indian space exploration programme. 3. Moon mission: Chandrayaan-1. 4. Preparation for the Indian Moon Mission: Chandrayaan-1. 5. Moon-Mission launched: Chandrayaan-1. 6. Mapping the moon. 7. Editorial and comments--launching of Chandrayaan-1. 8. International developments and space explorations. 9. What next? --Manned mission. 10. The business of space. 11. Moon mission vs domestic needs. 12. Chandrayaan-1 Beams first picture of Earth. 13. Indian footprints on the moon. 14. Congratulations India. 15. Interviews with space scientists. 16. Science and simplicity. 17. Facing set-backs and problems: management of the future. 18. Moon exploration--legal issues and sovereignty on the outer space. 19. Epilogue. Bibliography. Index.
"Chandrayaan and Beyond--Indian Space Exploration Programme covers the development of space science and technology in India, since early 1960\'s till date. The Indian Space Exploration Programme has come a long way from its modest beginning on 21 November 1963, when it launched its first rocket, Rohini.
The Moon Impact Probe of the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, carrying tricolour of India, painted on its sides, landed on the moon on 14 November 2008, covering a distance of 3,86,000 km in 24 days. India leaves its footprints on the Moon. With Chandrayaan-1, the moon mission launched on 22 October 2008, India has taken a big leap into the previously explored areas of space. India has created history by joining the elite club of six nations who have launched unmanned flights to the moon. India joins the USA, the former USSR, European Space Agency, China and Japan to do so. It is a demonstration of our scientific prowess.
Chandrayaan-1 is just the beginning. Scientists at the ISRO are now working on a second and even a third moon mission after this. And they do not intend to stop there, with plans afoot to send a man to the moon by 2015 and a spacecraft even to the Mars.
Modern Space Programme requires establishing close coordination and working arrangements between the government and the private sector which facilitate satellite communications, navigation and position location, weather and remote sensing data processing, support services and infrastructure development etc. Space tourism and intellectual property rights, ownership on moon--land, mines and mineral, protection of space environment etc are emerging issues w.r.t. treating moon as a common heritage of mankind for undertaking international space activities.
A good reference book for the policy planners, researchers, management and technical experts, interested readers etc on the new developments of space science and technology explorations in India." (jacket)
