BRAHMA

BRAHMA

Hariharan , Hope you remember , when Doctor confirmed my infirtility, I had put forth my option of adopting child from orfanage. But you denied it., saying that we are not certain about the genetics of the adopted child.Then we went for a Human Android option. Ten years before we asked 'MANAV' Android company to design the Android for us. We ceremonially brought it home. Had a grand naming ceremony in our colony. More than 500 people attended that function and everybody was curious about this virtual child. We named him 'Maitri'. Everybody appreciated this name saying that it will create a bridge of friendship between real and virtual. While designing Maitri your major amphesis was 'Empathy'. - Dr. Lilavati.

‘Yes , I did that so because in my research field I always used to find my students having a strong memory and a strong Logical thinking capacity , however they never had a capacity to tackle the unforeseen situations or take decisions. Hence I wanted our ‘Maitri’ should pusses these unique potentials.’ – Dr. Hariharan .

‘My Maitri is virtuous child. 6.5 feet high , confident , energetic , Whitish in colour , Emotional, Logical , Disaster manager and a very cheerful personality full of empathy.’- Lilavati

‘Lilavati , should I join Aryabhat ?’

‘Since you have received this offer to join this up coming International project ‘Aryabhat Space Administration Institute’ at Indraprasth as a ‘Robonaut Android scientist’, it seems that you are in dual mind , to join or not. May I suggest you to take an advice of ‘Maitri’?’

‘What advice Maitri would give me ?’

[Maitri arrives]

‘Yes Dad , I am here , Any problem ? What can I help you ?’

‘Maitri , my son , It is a problem of my carrier option. It is my personal problem. I shall talk to Lilavati and sort it out.’

‘No Dad , No and Never , We shall sit together and sort out your problem. Tell me what is your problem ?’

‘Done , Dad , We three are proceeding to Indraprasth , M’am you be ready. You are a Data scientist. In due course of time you also will join the institute. And it is very clear that I am also going to help you in this project soon.’

‘Great !’ – Lilavati

‘Maitri , you really brought the sentience in the environment . Now I am full of positivity. I give my consent to Aryabhat Institute. Yes , We are all going to Indraprasth.’ – Hariharan.

***

Shalaka, What are tomorrow’s assignments – Arnab from Aryabhat.

Yes sir , I shall confirm and let you know.……., Five satellites becoming non functional , so we have to remove them from their orbits , Two astronauts from the space station of European space agency are landing on earth , Two rockets of Canadian space agency are being launched from Satish Dhavan launching station , Five Indian astronauts are going on a mission to destroy the meteorites disturbing the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Fine , Slovakia has requested us to launch two geocentric satellites for Education and Climate. In place of non functional five satellites, launch these two satellites in those available orbits. Any more inquiries , Shalaka?

Yes one more thing , Yesterday China National space administration has expressed their desire to launch three space laboratories in near future. So reserve the orbits for them. Is it clear?

Yes sir , I shall take a proper note and accordingly intimate Abdul Kalam Space Launching Station.

Shalaka , On more important thing , German technical team is visiting us next month. Keep the presentation ready. Very important MOU is being signed that day. They are about ‘Different types of precise satellite equipments’ and an innovative ‘Satellite launch system’.

Is it O. K. ?

Yes sir .

***

‘As we understand , You are working on some new Satellite Launch Vehicle Technology. What kind of innovation are you expecting ?’ – Dr Mark

‘Present Satellite Launch system is very cumbersome. It occupies huge land space , 90% of the rocket size and weight is occupied by its fuel. Being in this Cosmos maintenance business ,India just can’t afford to spend on liquid or solid fuel. We are thinking of some alternative.’ – Fuel technologist Ramchandran said.

‘What kind of alternative ?’

‘Currently we are spending 6000$/KG of pay load . We can not afford it. There are two alternatives that we are working on. One is Use of Orbital Launcher system based on Electrical energy and second is using the supersonic aircrafts to launch the satellites.’

‘Good ideas , but second idea seems to impracticable , because it can’t generate the required thrust. First idea can be brought in to reality. In that case ‘Ground Based Orbital Electrical Power Launch System’ can be developed.’

‘These are few conceptual designs. Even we are interested in developing unmanned space crafts too’.

‘Yes surely!’

[Accordingly 4 aeronautical engineers were suppose to develop ‘Ground Based Orbital Electrical Power Launch System’ with German collaboration.]

***

[Dr. Vankatesh , project in charge of Giant Infrared Telescope ‘Brahma’ was being interviewed]

What is special about this telescope ? – Journalist

‘By viewing the universe at infrared wavelengths , Brahma will show us things never before seen by any other telescope. It is only at infrared wavelengths that we can see the first stars and galaxies forming after the Big Bang. And it is with infrared light that we can see stars and planetary systems forming inside clouds of dust that are opaque to visible light. We are going to install this telescope 2.5 Million K.M. away in the cosmos.’ – Vyankatesh.

How do you claim that it will discover the cosmos 14 billion years before ?

‘Yes, more we go away , more we can look in to the past. Being an Infrared telescope , it can detect the rays coming from far distant galaxies.’

If Brahma gets some problem , how are you going to repair it. Last time you could not repair ‘Stephan Hexaweb’ which was sent in the year 2035.

‘Yes, Brahma can get 500 different complicated errors. Equipments can be reprogrammed from earth. But for the replacement of parts like Camera , Sunshield , mirrors we are ready to send the ‘Brhama repair mission’ under the guidance of Dr. Hariharan’

How many days will it take to reach the desired orbit and how ?

‘It will take 10 days. How are we going to do it ? Let me explain.

See , we have developed the ‘Spin Launch Rocket’ to launch Brahma in the desired orbit. Here there will be no blasts , smoke , flames and fumes , noise and quacks. This is a ‘mass accelerator technology’. The technology uses a vacuum-sealed centrifuge to spin a rocket and then hurl it to space at up to 5,000 miles per hour (8,000 km/h). The rocket then ignites its engines at an altitude of roughly 200,000 ft (61,000 m) to reach orbital speed of 17,500 miles per hour (28,200 km/h). The system spins a satellite launch vehicle until it reaches speeds up to 5,000 mph, then flings it toward space. Brahma needs a thrust of 10 km/second to establish it in its desired orbit .

We are using this technique for the first time. Mass Accelerator's electric drive will result in a four times reduction in fuel required to reach orbit, with a 10 times reduction in cost, and the ability to launch several times a day. We are sending telescope for the first time at a distance of 2.5 million km.’

***

Dad , what is the problem ? You seem to be nervous. – Maitri

I don't know why , but I am not getting desired Robonaut who can go on the telescope repair mission.- Dr. Hariharan

Dad, I am ready for this task. Organise a meeting with station head Dr Narendra. I can’t see you depressed. I shall volunteer for this. – Maitri

My dear son , I can’t loose you at the cost of this mission. – Dr. Hariharan

Dad , I am confident that I shall complete the mission successfully and come back.- Maitri.

Maitri , why don’t you understand , In this situation I will have to Mutate you. An irreversible mutation ! I can’t imagine this loosing you forever.

[Narendra, Maitri and Hariharan had a meeting and after a long discussion decided to go about mutations.]

Maitri was now ‘Super Maitri’. He was specifically trained for the job. Dr. Hariharan was happy with it’s performance and the robonaut was named ‘Maitroid-2060’. It was a brain child of Dr Hariharan. ‘Garud’ was the space craft which was suppose to take ‘Maitroid-2060’ on the repair mission.

***

Brahma was working fine since last 6 years. It was 20 Jan. 2066 , Scientists and the Engineers were relaxing on the lawn. And the technician came running with some blurred images. Dr Narendra went through it thoroughly. Something was wrong and it was time for ‘Maitroid-2060’ to be ready for its repair mission. This mission was named 'STIC 1' [ Space Telescope Infrared Camera 1]. Now Dr Hariharan took over. It was 10 days journey for Garud to dock with Brahma. Maitroid-2060’ was suppose to sky walk and replace the secondary mirror and infrared camera.

On the 3rd day of Garud’s launch , Dr Hariharan had a sudden stroke attack !

‘Doctor Bill , Hariharan is not responding . His right body is paralyzed. He can neither talk nor are his eye balls responding.’ – Narendra

‘I will be there soon. Keep air ambulance ready.’ – Dr Bill.

‘STIC 1 is under his control. It is urgent !’ – Narendra.

‘Oh ! It is a Stroke , I must talk to Brain-computer interface expert Dr. Ujwal’.-Dr. Bill.

‘Yes , I am Dr. Bill speaking from the Spin Launch Station.’

‘Yes , Dr. Ujwal here.’

‘Sir , It is a case of stroke. Dr Hariharan must communicate with a Robonaut in the space. It is urgent’.- Dr. Bill

‘With the help of Brain-Computer interface system I will have to analyse the messages coming from his brain and shall convert it in to letter language. To get this auditory feedback I shall implant two electrodes on his brain. If you have an operation theater and life support system there , then I shall send my team and I shall do the implant with Telesurgery.’

Surgery was successful. Brain waves and the electrode wavelength could match. Five days later Hariharan could move his eye balls and the movements were converted in to letter language.

In the worst scenario instructions by Hariharan were to be transferred to Maitroid-2060 by Dr. Narendra. Horizontal movements of the eye balls indicated his thinking mode and Vertical movements indicated a jubilant mode.

***

It was the 11th day of ‘STIC 1’

Bip…Bip… red light was blinking. Something was wrong with Maitroid-2060.

‘My Auto memory does not work , Over ‘– Maitroid-2060 said.

‘Switch on to manual mode’ - Hariharan could communicate through his horizontal eye ball movements.

‘Now close down the auto systems accordingly.Go out of Garud by climbing 15 ladder steps and open the nose cover. Then Sky walk some distance and replace the Infrared camera.’

‘Job done.’

‘Now come back to Garud . Read the manual for the replacement of secondary mirror. Repeat the action’

‘Job done’

Here on the earth, launch station received clear images now.

‘Fine , Maitroid -2060, job successfully done .' – Narendra said.

‘The images that were received by the station were mind blowing. Infrared rays could penetrate the dust and detect the planet with water and optimum temperature like Earth.’ – Narendra communicated it to Hariharan.

‘Well done Maitroid-2060. Congratulations Dr. Hariharan’ – with tears in his eyes Narendra was exited and could not resist his emotions.

Hariharan could express his joy of success through his very fast vertical eye ball movements.

Hello ! I am there. Some extraterrestrial life from the unknown planet was whispering !

***