Chicago, Sep 21 (IANS) The Vikram moon lander possibly crashed at approximately 184 miles in keeping with an hour (mph), a speed at which nothing of the cost may want to have survived, an enormously reputable Indian American mechanical engineer, specializing in such crucial failures has calculated. Dr. Bharat Thakkar, 77, a veteran of first-rate manipulation and reliability of structures, who has taught at several prestigious establishments in Chicago, has raised numerous fundamental questions about the lander. “These questions may be uncomfortable to those lay observers no longer trained in mechanics, projectile motion, horizontal and vertical velocities, and so on. They certainly pass beyond any politics and beliefs,” Dr. Thakkar advised this correspondent in an interview.
“Vikram changed into designed for a soft landing. Is it authentic that there was no contingency in layout without spending a dime fall any time for the duration of the moon landing or any other time at some point of Chandrayaan-2 challenge? Expecting Vikram to function after an unfastened fall is a false desire similar to a ”dead man or woman” coming alive. Pulling the plug on ”mind useless” is the proper mindset. Expecting for divine intervention is a very plenty of cultural phenomenon in India,” he stated.
However, past that huge complaint, Dr. Thakkar, a long-term well-wisher of India’s technology and the generation who became key members of the C-DOT generated telecom revolution, made some unique technical factors. One pertains to whether there was a consideration in Vikram’s layout approximately “the moon’s ”coefficient of restitution” at the predetermined landing region”.
“Upon unfastened-falling from a 2.1 km top, Vikram would have bounced from side to side extra than ten instances in upright role (high-quality thinking) earlier than coming to rest at a one-of-a-kind location with an exceptional coefficient of restitution than at first planned. During bouncing to and fro, the pre-determined center of gravity of Vikram may want to have gone into an anon-equilibrium position upon the first effect. Thus, is it now not hopeless to think for Vikram to live in upright function,” he requested.
“An autopsy must be accomplished in phrases of the mechanical design of Vikram. What was the thing of safety used within the dynamic mechanical design of Vikram? Was it even considered? These are the questions that need to be requested to ensure that upcoming missions do not go through a similar fate,” he stated.
In arriving on the parent of a 184 mph crash, Dr. Thakkar, who calls himself an awesome admirer of the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) passion, stated: “Freefall pace may be closer to the square root of 2gh. Where g is one-sixth of the earth (32.2 ft in step with sec2) h 2.1 km about 7,000 ft, with this loose fall velocity of 270 toes in line with 2nd 184 miles consistent with hour, not anything can continue to exist at that speed.”
“I am assuming ”unfastened-fall,” but it is not precisely so. It is a minor thing however desires to be cited. At 2.1 km height, because of the existing trajectory, there should be an initial downward pace. This is equal to compelling the tennis ball downward with a speed that may rebound more than free-fall. This downward velocity and coefficient of restitution blended can supply us worst first soar than I stated earlier.
“In my opinion, best the primary hit can also have overwhelmed Vikram. There could have been no hazard for the next bouncing. However, theoretically, it’s miles possible to have more bouncing like a tennis ball, but Vikram isn’t always a tennis ball,” Dr. Thakkar reasoned.
“Anything 4-legged falling does not necessarily hit all 4 legs on the identical time relying upon the profile of moon’s floor. It is usually one leg touching first and taking all of the forces because of unfastened falling. If one leg is weakened, the relaxation can not assist the scenario. The deformations, which are plastic, are not recoverable in steel and materials. Anyone predicting with a common feel, Vikram changed into destroyed as quickly as it hit the moon ground,” he said.
Dr. Thakkar said since it entails a huge sum of public cash, ISRO and people involved ought to ask difficult questions of themselves past simply sentimentalism. “ISRO is a wonderful company and has executed India proud. I am sure it has within its DNA the capacity to invite brutally honest questions and give you rational solutions,” he said.