India’s Moon Mission: Chandrayaan-3 soft Landing at the South Pole
Earlier today, India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 scripted a remarkable space history chapter by landing on the lunar surface at 6:04 p.m. This achievement has positioned India as the only country to have ever accomplished a ‘soft landing’ on the Moon’s south pole. With this critical milestone, a rover will emerge from the Lander and begin exploring the lunar surface.
Watch Chandrayan 3 live landing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLA_64yz8Ss
The powered descent of Chandrayaan-3’s Lander began on August 23, 2023, around 6 pm. The mission’s journey began on July 14, and the landing on the south pole, a region previously unexplored, marks a significant triumph for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed delight and Tweeted
“Historic day for India’s space sector. Congratulations to ISRO for the remarkable success of Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.” Check it out here.
A soft landing is a gentle, controlled descent that prevents damage to the spacecraft. Amitabha Ghosh, a scientist for NASA’s Rover mission to Mars, eloquently described this complex process: “Imagine a spacecraft hurtling through space, at 10 times the speed of an airplane, having to nearly come to a standstill in order to land gently on the Earth — all in a matter of a few minutes and, more importantly, without any human intervention.”
The landing site’s proximity to the Moon’s south pole at 70 degrees latitude adds to the mission’s technical prowess. All previous lunar landings have occurred near the equator, as it’s easier and safer, with conditions conducive to the sustained operation of instruments. The polar regions, on the other hand, present more challenges, such as extreme cold and large craters.
The Moon’s polar regions remain largely unexplored. The extreme cold temperatures could mean that substances trapped in the region remain frozen in time, without undergoing significant changes. The rocks and soil in the north and south poles could provide clues to the early Solar System, making this region particularly interesting for scientific research.
The south pole’s distinct characteristics and unexplored nature posed challenges for the mission. Many parts of this region lie in complete darkness, and temperatures can plummet below 230 degrees Celsius. These factors make the operation of instruments more difficult and add to the complexity of the landing.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission learned from the unsuccessful attempt of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. Subsequent analyses revealed both software and hardware problems in the previous mission. ISRO chairperson S Somanath expressed that the design changes to the current mission were “failure-based.”
Some of the changes made include:
These significant modifications demonstrated India’s commitment to learning from past mistakes and embracing a progressive approach to space exploration.
The Chandrayaan-3 Lander’s soft landing required meticulous planning and execution. Dubbed as the “15 minutes of terror” by K Sivan, then chairman of ISRO, the process involved four critical phases:
These phases were critical to the mission’s success and required a blend of cutting-edge technology, timing, and expertise.
(India becomes the first country to land on Moon’s south pole with the historic landing of Chandran 3)
Following the successful landing, the rover, equipped with specialized instruments, will begin its exploration on the lunar surface. This marks a new chapter in India’s space endeavors, with the following key aspects:
The landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the moon’s south pole is not only a big deal for India, but also a big deal for space research in general. India has opened up new ways to learn about the world by exploring the south pole of the Moon, which had never been done before.
The mission’s success, built on lessons learned from previous attempts, reflects a spirit of innovation, resilience, and scientific curiosity. It showcases India’s growing prominence in space technology and sets the stage for future missions.
As the world watches, the rover will explore the moon’s south pole and figure out its secrets. This will add to our combined knowledge and inspire scientists and explorers of the future.
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