India’s Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Lands on Moon’s South Pole
India’s Chandrayaan-3 robotic lander has successfully touched down near the moon’s south pole, boosting India’s space program to the level of a “space superpower.” The touchdown makes India the fourth nation to land an operational spacecraft on the moon, following the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union.
The Chandrayaan-3 lander dropped out of orbit and began its powered descent to the lunar surface. After aligning itself with the targeted landing site, the spacecraft continued its descent while capturing and beaming back images of its approach. The successful landing was celebrated by engineers, mission managers, and dignitaries at the Indian Space Research Organization’s control center.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the ISRO team and proclaimed, “India is now on the moon!” He highlighted that the success of the mission belongs to all of humanity and will inspire future moon missions by other countries.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission marks a significant achievement for India as it recovered from a software glitch that caused the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft to crash during its landing attempt in 2019.
Unlike the ill-fated Russian Luna-25 probe, which crashed during its landing attempt, Chandrayaan-3’s landing went according to plan. The mission’s goal is to demonstrate soft-landing and rover technology, paving the way for future deep-space missions.
The Chandrayaan-3 lander is equipped with temperature and thermal conductivity measurement instruments, seismic activity sensors, and a NASA laser reflector array. The accompanying rover, named Pragyan, carries instruments to determine the elemental composition of lunar rocks and soil.
The lunar south polar region is of great interest due to its potential ice deposits, which could serve as a source of air, water, and rocket fuel for future space exploration missions. NASA’s Artemis program and China’s plans to send taikonauts to the south pole reflect the growing interest in this area.
India’s successful landing, along with the participation of other countries and private companies, is igniting a new space race focused on the moon’s south polar region.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched on July 14, 2023, and its achievements mark a significant milestone for India’s space program as it establishes itself as a major player in space exploration.