Manipuri scientist Raghu Ningthoujam leads team
- August 23 2023 at ISRO headquarters, Bengaluru -

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Manipuri scientist Raghu Ningthoujam :: Pix - The People's Chronicle

From The People's Chronicle - August 24 2023

As India scripted history by demonstrating successful soft landing of the Vikram Lander of Chandrayaan 3 on the surface of Moon, the only natural satellite of the Earth on Wednesday evening, Raghu Ningthoujam, a Manipuri scientist from Thanga Oinam Leikai in Bishnupur district, who is serving as deputy director in the Directorate of Technology Development and Innovation (DTDI), ISRO headquarters, Bengaluru, also played key role in the successful moon mission.

Talking to The People's Chronicle over the phone, Raghu Ningthoujam expressed his happiness and satisfaction in becoming part of the historic Chandrayaan 3 mission as scientist at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) . He said that he has completed 18 years in ISRO and this is a great moment in his life.

Raghu started his schooling at Amusana High School, Thanga and completed 10+2 at CC Higher Secondary School. He completed graduation in Physics Honours at DM College of Sciences and cleared Masters in Physics in second class from Manipur University. After that, he won gold medal in Physics from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati.

Explaining the Chandrayaan 3 mission, Raghu said that it is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan 2 and 1 is a mission to keep a satellite equipped with remote sensing technology in Moon's orbit at a height of 100 km to study the surface of Moon. Chandrayaan 2 made an attempt to soft land on the surface of the Moon.

He was part of the 12-member core committee that initiated the Chandrayaan 2 mission, he said. He further informed that he is the project manager of Vikram Lander Craft and Pragyan Rover, which is fitted inside the lander. It was a team work of several scientist.

Chandrayaan 3 has three main objectives - soft landing on the surface of the moon; unloading the rover and driving on the surface of the moon; and analysis of Moon soil, components of rocks with the help of different technologies like Alpha Particle Induced X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) fitted in the payload of the rover.

The payload also includes technologies to study physical properties of the Moon surface including temperature and other features like tremor/quake, he informed.

Raghu further told TPC that the successful soft landing on the surface of the Moon will prove beneficial for mankind as it will shed lights on many unknown features and properties of the Moon. It will also help in getting a better understanding on the reason behind Moon's inability to host life, he added.

On the other hand, another Meetei youth from Silchar, Assam, called Y Bishal is also in the team of Chandrayaan 3.He is part of the Thermal Control team of the ISRO mission.

Several individuals and organisations in Manipur and Assam's Barak Valley region shared photos of the two Meetei scientists along with congratulatory messages for their contribution in the historic Moon Mission of the country.