The Week Junior UK - Issue 189, 27 July 2019

27 July 2019•The Week Junior

I

ndia has launchedamission to the Moon, with the

aim of becoming the fourthcountry to land safely

on the lunar surface. The unmanned Chandrayaan-

spacecraft took off on 22 July,delayed byaweek

because ofafuel leak. If all goes to plan, the mission

will be the first ever to land at the Moon’ssouth pole.

The spacecraft launched at 2.43pm local time

from the Satish Dhawan SpaceCentre, in the south-

east of India. It quickly arrived in orbit and will spend

23 daysrepeatedly travelling around the Earth before

it begins the 216,000-mile journey to the Moon.

The lift-off of the mission, which hascost £

million,wasbroadcast live on TV and online, with

those in thecontrolroom applauding as itroared into

the sky. It is the first time the Indian SpaceResearch

Organisation (ISRO) has ever hadaproject led by two

women–project director MuthayaVanitha, and Ritu

Karidhal, the mission director.

In 2008, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-1, which

didn’t land on the Moon but usedradar to look for

water.Chandrayaan-2 willcontinue thisresearch.

The spacecraft for this second mission is made

up of three parts:an orbiter,alander andarover.

The orbiter willremain in spaceand takeimages of

the Moon forayear, while the lander androver will

descend to the surface. The lander,named Vikram

after ISRO’sfounder,will take15minutes to get to the

Moon onceith as beenreleased from the orbiter.The

rover inside it will then travel around andexamine

the surfacefor water and minerals (natural chemicals

found in the ground), in addition to studying

moonquakes (similar toearthquakes).

Only three othercountries–China, the former

Soviet Union (acountry made up of Russia and some

of its neighbours) and the US–have previously

landed safely on the Moon.

IT’SANAMAZINGWEEKFOR...

A96-YEAR-OLD RUNNER

Roy Englert,a96-year-old, has broken

the worldrecord forhis age group in the

5,000-metrerace. The athlete from Virginia in

the US already held the titleforthe 800 and

1,500 metresforthe 95–99age group.Hebeat

the existing 5krecordby almost eight minutes,

completing it in 42 minutes, 30 seconds.

IndialaunchesmissiontotheMoon

ON THE

CO
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ARVEL STUDIOS 2019

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INSTON SANDERS PHO

TOGRAPHY

Hong Kong pr otesters

attacked at station

O

n21July,protesters and passers-by in HongKong

wereattacked atatrain station by masked men

dressed in white shirts. The attackers arethought

to be members of the triad gang, which isasecret

Chinese criminal organisation.Forty-five people were

injured in the attack atYuen Long station.

The attack followed the latest inaseries of

protests againstaproposed law that is very unpopular

with people in HongKong. The law would mean that

anyone living in HongKong accused ofacrime could

be extradited (handed over toface legal charges) to

mainland China. HongKong is part of China but has

aseparate political and legal system, known as the

one country,two systems arrangement. Protesters say

the proposed lawcould be used to imprison people

who disagree with the Chinese government. Although

the law has now been suspended (put off for the time

being), lots of people living in HongKong want more

control over thewayitisruled.

The leader of HongKong, Chief Executive Carrie

Lam, said that the attack at the train stationwas

“shocking”.Earlier that day,riot policehad fired tear

gas and rubber bullets at protesters.

ASPECIALTORTOISE

Sammy the tortoise has been madeaguest

of honour at his owners’wedding in Norfolk.

The 102-year-old petwatched thecere mony

fromaspecial hut builtforthe oc casion, and

wasjoined byfellow tortoises Clyde and

Esther.It’sthought Sammywasbrought to

the UK after the FirstWorld War(1914–18).

33

AVENGERS:ENDGAME

On 21 July,Avengers: Endgameovertook

Avatarto become the highest-grossing film

in global box-officehistory.That means it

has made moremoney at cinemas than any

other film. The blockbuster has takenatotal

of £2.23 billion, and £929 million of thatwas

made in its opening five days alone.

Protesters in

HongKong.

The spacecraft

takes off.

TOTHE

MOON

Chandr

ayaanmeans

Mooncraft

in Sanskrit,

an ancient

Indian

language.