India’s Chandrayaan-3 Moon Rover Triumphantly Lands at Lunar South Pole, Paving the Way for Future Space Exploration
In an unprecedented feat, India’s Chandrayaan-3 moon rover on Thursday successfully descended from its spacecraft. The rover’s primary mission is to explore the lunar surface, perform experiments, and gather valuable data for future space missions. This historic event has been widely lauded by the media as one of the most important scientific achievements of the country.
The spacecraft made a precise landing on the moon’s untouched south pole on Wednesday evening. Remarkably, this achievement comes soon after Russia’s Luna-25 mission fumbled, making India the first country to achieve this milestone.
The successful, smooth landing of the lander generated immense joy and pride in the country, especially after a failed attempt in 2019.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced the achievement through a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, which announced, “CH-3 rover lands on lander and India lands on Moon”. Walked!”
Elaborating on the rover’s capabilities, ISRO chief S. Somnath informed that the “Pragyan” rover is equipped with two instruments that are designed to conduct experiments related to elemental and chemical composition. In addition, beyond its scientific tasks, the rover is set to perform robotic path planning exercises, an important endeavor for the country’s future space explorations.
The attempt, achieved with a budget of around 6.15 billion rupees ($75 million), was India’s second attempt to land on the lunar surface. An earlier mission in 2019, Chandrayaan-2 effectively deployed an orbiter, though its lander unfortunately crashed during the attempt.
Chandrayaan, derived from Hindi and Sanskrit, translates to “moon vehicle”. Due to the robust design of the solar powered instrument, Chandrayaan-3 is estimated to maintain operational functionality for two weeks, equivalent to one lunar day.
The rugged south pole of the Moon has generated significant interest due to the presence of water ice. This valuable resource is believed to have the potential to serve as fuel, oxygen and drinking water for upcoming space missions. Nonetheless, the area’s uneven terrain poses a formidable challenge to a successful landing.
This achievement sent a wave of enthusiasm across India. Nearly 7 million people watched the landing via live stream on YouTube. Prayers were held at various places of worship and educational institutions arranged for live screening of the event for students.
Apart from establishing India’s position as a formidable space power and cementing its reputation for cost-effective space engineering, the landing has also instilled a sense of national pride. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has received congratulations from various quarters since landing on Wednesday evening. He emphasized that this victory is not only an achievement of India, but a milestone for the entire humanity. Addressing the achievement at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Modi said, “It is a matter of pride and pat on the back for Indian scientists.”
Indian newspapers devoted banner headlines to the event, chanting phrases such as “The Moon is Indian,” “India goes where no nation has gone before,” and “India uncovers the dark side of the Moon.” . “The lunar landing is the most important Indian scientific achievement,” attributing the country’s current position to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
In an unprecedented feat, India’s Chandrayaan-3 moon rover on Thursday successfully descended from its spacecraft. The rover’s primary mission is to explore the lunar surface, perform experiments, and gather valuable data for future space missions. This historic event has been widely lauded by the media as one of the most important scientific achievements of the country.
The spacecraft made a precise landing on the moon’s untouched south pole on Wednesday evening. Remarkably, this achievement comes soon after Russia’s Luna-25 mission fumbled, making India the first country to achieve this milestone.
The successful, smooth landing of the lander generated immense joy and pride in the country, especially after a failed attempt in 2019.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced the achievement through a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, which announced, “CH-3 rover lands on lander and India lands on Moon”. Walked!”
Elaborating on the rover’s capabilities, ISRO chief S. Somnath informed that the “Pragyan” rover is equipped with two instruments that are designed to conduct experiments related to elemental and chemical composition. In addition, beyond its scientific tasks, the rover is set to perform robotic path planning exercises, an important endeavor for the country’s future space explorations.
The attempt, achieved with a budget of around 6.15 billion rupees ($75 million), was India’s second attempt to land on the lunar surface. An earlier mission in 2019, Chandrayaan-2 effectively deployed an orbiter, though its lander unfortunately crashed during the attempt.
The term “Chandrayaan,” originating from Hindi and Sanskrit, signifies “lunar vehicle. Due to the robust design of the solar powered instrument, Chandrayaan-3 is estimated to maintain operational functionality for two weeks, equivalent to one lunar day.
The rugged south pole of the Moon has generated significant interest due to the presence of water ice. This valuable resource is believed to have the potential to serve as fuel, oxygen and drinking water for upcoming space missions. Nonetheless, the area’s uneven terrain poses a formidable challenge to a successful landing.
This achievement sent a wave of enthusiasm across India. Nearly 7 million people watched the landing via live stream on YouTube. Prayers were held at various places of worship and educational institutions arranged for live screening of the event for students.
Apart from establishing India’s position as a formidable space power and cementing its reputation for cost-effective space engineering, the landing has also instilled a sense of national pride. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has received congratulations from various quarters since landing on Wednesday evening. He emphasized that this victory is not only an achievement of India, but a milestone for the entire humanity. Addressing the achievement at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Modi said, “It is a matter of pride and pat on the back for Indian scientists.”
Indian newspapers devoted banner headlines to the event, chanting phrases such as “The Moon is Indian,” “India goes where no nation has gone before,” and “India uncovers the dark side of the Moon.” . “The lunar landing is the most important Indian scientific achievement,” attributing the country’s current position to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).