Exactly one year ago, on this day, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission landed its Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover on the South pole of the moon. To commemorate this historic event, India declared that it would celebrate National Space Day every year, on Aug 23rd. When the lander and the rover touched down on the moon, India held the distinction of being the ONLY country ever to have achieved landing on the moon’s south pole. This was a far cry from its early days when India's space scientists began work in a fishing hamlet with a bicycle and an old school for their factory. But one man’s vision, one man’s perseverance and one man’s dedication is what started it all. His name was Vikram Sarabhai. Tracing India’s space journey through history, we had earlier put out an 8-part podcast series.

Recommended listens

a) Part 2 of this podcast series on India's space journey

b) SpaceX to destroy the International Space Station in 2030 - Why

Recommended reads

a) Pictures and blog on India's space journey

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped foot on the moon. 2024 marks 55 years since this achievement. A forgotten astronaut was a part of this mission and we speak about his role and contribution to this mission.

Since the 1970s, there has been a lull in space missions - the kind that sends more people to the moon. However, things have started getting hotter again and NASA is working towards resuming moon-landing missions. We speak about what has prompted this change of heart.

Child co-host: Abhir Ghalke (7th grader, Mumbai)

Recommended listens

a) The story of how India's space missions began

b) Innovations made by Indian school children

c) How Jacky ran 104 marathons in 104 days

Check these out

a) Creative Writing Course for Kids - look up here or drop us a note at hello@wsnt.in

b) Support our show to keep this podcast channel ad-free for children

c) Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for free 'The Lighter Side'

China's taken a giant leap in the world of electric cars, racing far ahead of most countries. More than half of the cars on its roads run on electric batteries, not on petrol or diesel.

US does not want any electric cars from China entering its country. Why?

Cohosts: Primary schoolers Advik (Chennai) and Smyan (USA) try to find the answer to this question.

Recommended listens by Advik and Smyan

1. Wheat and Lemon - why are their prices hard to reckon?

2. Harry Potter book review

3. Queens who ruled India - the story of Keladi Chennamma defying Aurangzeb

More reads on electric cars

1. How China leads the world on electric cars

2. US imposes high taxes on electric cars from China

Greece leads the parade and the host country is the last to join the parade, every Olympics. In the last two Olympics, a new contingent joined the Olympics' teams. This contingent was the penultimate to join the parade (ahead of the host country). The participants hailed from across the world and were united by a cause and a flag. Who are these participants? What cause unites them? Why do we continue to have this contingent?

Co-hosts: Anindya (9 yrs) and Agastya (11 yrs) figure out who these participants are, and how they come together to represent a common cause.

Recommended listens by Anindya and Agastya

1. How search and rescue dogs save people in earthquakes

2. Why are orcas / killer whales attacking ships

Source information for this episode

1. Trailer of The Swimmers movie on Netflix

2. Read: Why the IOC Refugee team was formed

3. Watch: Video on this year's team for the Paris Olympics

Writing course for kids

To find details ⁠about our writing course for kids to become published authors, please click here

For the first time, a 4-year old dog called Beacon joins the official staff team of the US Gymnastics. He will play an important role in maintaining the health and well-being of the players. Can you guess how?

The co-hosts Anindya (9-yr old) and Agastya (11 yr old) pit their heads and crack this mystery.

To find details ⁠about our writing course for kids to become published authors, please click here

To find details about our writing course for kids to become published authors, please click here

SpaceX has won a bid from NASA for one of the most challenging tasks it has ever undertaken. The whole world will be watching the skies in 2031 as SpaceX attempts to destroy and take apart the ISS. Built over more than a decade and a half, the ISS will near the end of its useful life by 2030 and may begin to disintegrate if left in space for longer than that. SpaceX will begin a careful process of bringing the ISS to rest in a deep sea point on earth, without endangering the rest of life.

Cohosts: Darsh (5th grader, Chennai) and Aadya (9th grader, Jammu)

Recommended episodes

a) India's space journey and how the Ramayan TV series was telecast

b) NASA's dart mission to change the path of an asteroid

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This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 6 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers how different are the movies from the books.

To join our ⁠book review club, please click here.⁠

Book review led by Manisha Maheshwari. Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)

This month, we reviewed the Harry Potter book series along with a group of primary and middle schoolers. This review is part 5 of a 6 part series. In this episode, we ask our reviewers what would happen if an owl came their way and dropped them an acceptance letter?

To join our ⁠book review club, please click here.⁠

Book review led by Manisha Maheshwari. Young book reviewers who joined us were Prakriti (10 yr), Dhruv (10 yr old), Darsh (10 yr old), Aditi (12 yr old), Viyaa (10 yr old), Rishi (10 yr old), Rusheel (10 yr old), Hrudyaansh (13 yr old), Kiaansh (10 yr old), Pravit (10 yr old), Nayra (10 yr old), Devansh (10 yr old), Smyan (10 yr old)