Tricolour flies high after rocket soars

SRIHARIKOTA: The aborted launch of Chandrayaan-2 on July 15 did not dampen the excitement of space enthusiasts on Monday. More than 7,500 people of all ages from all over the country congregated at the viewers’ gallery here to watch the rocket lift off at 2.43pm with its precious payload.
Class 4 student Kaushal saw no difference between a space rocket and a missile, exclaiming: “I came here to watch the missile. It will go to Moon.” The enthusiasm was not confined to Sriharikota; social media was flooded with congratulatory messages. Lok Sabha paused during a debate to record its appreciation. Speaker Om Birla read out a message on the launch and congratulated scientists as MPs across party lines thumped the desks.
PM Modi, who was watching the live telecast of the launch, tweeted, “Indian at heart, Indian in spirit! What would make every Indian overjoyed is the fact that Chandrayaan2 is a fully indigenous mission. Nasa tweeted: “Congrats to Isro on the launch of Chandrayaan 2. We’re proud to support your mission and look forward to what you learn about the lunar South Pole.”
A twitter user summed it up: “People throw stones at you and you convert them into milestones.”