Aside from a Cricket World Cup victory over Pakistan, it’s hard to imagine anything igniting greater excitement in India than its momentous lunar mission.
In an achievement of significance not only for the nation’s space program but also for humanity’s quest to explore the cosmos, Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the southern pole of the moon. Only three countries— the United States, China, and the Soviet Union— have previously achieved lunar landings, yet none managed to reach the challenging southern pole.
The complexities of this endeavor were underscored when a Russian spacecraft crashed in a similar attempt over the weekend, leaving the opportunity open for India to set a new benchmark in lunar exploration.
The moon’s shadowed craters at the south pole are believed to harbor water ice, holding potential for future lunar bases, enabling extended stays for astronauts and researchers. Although space agencies like NASA had previously identified frozen water in lunar craters, no nation had ventured into this region. The presence of water ice could yield resources such as fuel, oxygen, and drinking water, while also shedding light on past lunar volcanic activity and the origins of Earth’s oceans.
This challenging feat was evident in India’s experience with its precursor, Chandrayaan-2, which crashed near its intended landing site in 2019. While it successfully deployed an orbiter, the lander and rover meant for surface exploration were lost.
The lunar south pole presents rough terrain with deep crevices and numerous craters, posing a challenge for space missions. India’s strategic adjustments to Chandrayaan-3, including reinforced landing legs, proved successful.
The mission garnered widespread attention, with prayers, telecasts in schools, and watch parties across the nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi elevated the anticipation, labeling it as “a new chapter in India’s space odyssey” that would amplify “the dreams and ambitions of every Indian.”
Chandrayaan-3’s mission unfolded rapidly. Engineers at the Indian Space Research Organisation informed the prime minister of the successful “soft landing on the moon,” sparking scenes of jubilant celebration.
Modi expressed aspirations for future human flight missions and remarked that India was demonstrating that “the sky is not the limit.”
The excitement doesn’t stop at the landing itself. After a brief period, the spacecraft’s lander dispatched a rover, Pragyaan (Sanskrit for “wisdom”), which will spend two weeks collecting rock samples, images, and data. The rover will conduct experiments to ascertain the lunar surface’s mineral composition. It carries various instruments to facilitate these measurements.
Crucially, the rover will focus on examining water ice in the craters surrounding the moon’s southern pole, providing a close-up opportunity to study a resource that holds potential for sustaining future lunar bases and contributing to our understanding of the solar system’s evolution.
The success achieved by India undoubtedly stirs envy in Russia, which had been eager to accomplish a similar feat. NASA’s chief Bill Nelson conveyed enthusiasm for the learning potential from India’s achievement and highlighted the cooperation between the United States and India on this mission.
Both NASA and China have their sights set on lunar south pole missions. China, previously limited to probe exploration, is now preparing for surface landings. Private enterprises are also poised to join lunar exploration endeavors.
Prime Minister Modi aims to leverage this triumph to encourage increased investment by Indian firms in space ventures.
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