BIJOY KUMAR Y

Bijoy is quite looking forward to what the recent space launches could mean

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AST DIWALI I BOUGHT A PACKET OF rockets, against the will of the anti-cracker brigade at home, I must add. A launchpad made up of an old beer bottle was set up and I was ready for action. It was a super successful event as one-by-one all ten twin-stage rockets pierced the night sky and exploded spectacularly to my satisfaction.

On July 11, Richard Branson and a few buddies reached 86km above mean sea level in a rocket-powered craft launched from a weird-looking airplane, did the same silly things that anyone would do if they experience weightlessness and glided back to earth before it was too late.

Alright, none of my rockets crossed 80km or the Karman line, as defined by the US as the edge of space, and no, I was not strapped onto it. But then I spent ₹300 for the box of rockets while a hell of a lot more was spent by Branson over the last twenty years to dance for four minutes.