India's Chandrayaan-3 mission recently achieved a historic milestone as its Vikram lander successfully touched down on the rugged terrain of the Moon's southern pole, the Indian Space Research Organization shared.
The successful landing marks India's pioneering accomplishment in safely landing in this uncharted lunar area, surpassing Russia's unsuccessful recent endeavor.
A spectator holds an Indian national flag after a mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-2, with the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-mark III-M1) on board, was scrubbed due to a technical snag in Sriharikota in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India in the early hours of the day on July 15, 2019.
India Is on the Moon
ISRO Chief S. Somanath stated that India had reached the Moon. Adding to this historic achievement, the country has become the fourth nation to accomplish a soft lunar landing, joining the US, the Soviet Union, and China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the moment as unforgettable and a victory for the new India. He watched the landing from South Africa, where he was attending a BRICS summit comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Amidst joyous applause and embraces, scientists and officials celebrated the spacecraft's touchdown, while throughout India, people rejoiced by dancing and lighting firecrackers. ISRO released images displaying the lunar surface, the lander's leg, and its shadow. The challenging southern pole landing offers potential resources like ice for fuel, oxygen, and water for future missions.
Indian Prime Minister Modi received congratulations from Russian President Vladimir Putin via a message on the Kremlin website. Putin acknowledged India's significant stride in space exploration, highlighting the nation's remarkable advancements in science and technology.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also extended his congratulations for the successful landing. On the X platform (formerly Twitter), he noted India's achievement as the fourth nation to accomplish a gentle lunar spacecraft landing and expressed NASA's contentment in being a collaborative partner for this endeavor.
Monumental Bounce for ISRO
ISRO's success marks a significant recovery following the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 landing failure due to software issues. This time, ISRO ensured meticulous preparation, rectifying Vikram's software flaws, introducing a fresh navigation tool, and enhancing the landing gear to eliminate any risks.
Russia is supposed to land on the lunar south pole in the same week as India's lander. Almost a month after ISRO's mid-July launch, Roscosmos initiated its mission to the Moon's south pole. Unfortunately, their rush failed, as their lunar lander crashed shortly before India's attempt.
With Russia's unsuccessful venture and Chandrayaan-3's triumph, India has achieved a potent symbolic victory, asserting itself as a primary global space player- possibly overtaking the struggling Roscosmos, or at least it is beginning to. ISRO remarkably managed all this with unprecedented cost efficiency, needing only $75 million for the launch.
Over the upcoming two weeks, the Pragryan rover, housed on the Vikram lander, will explore the lunar south pole, investigating its geological characteristics. Simultaneously, the Vikram will employ its tools to collect essential surface information, such as seismic activity and temperatures.
With solar power, the lander and rover will function for two weeks or until the next lunar sunset. Although their findings might be modest, they will offer valuable insights into the permanently shadowed south pole. India's pioneering efforts will pave the way for NASA's 2025 plan to send astronauts to this region.
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