India has etched its name in history with a groundbreaking achievement as its lunar mission successfully landed in the south pole region of the Moon.
This achievement places India among a prestigious group of nations – the US, former Soviet Union, and China – that have achieved soft landings on the lunar surface. The Vikram lander, part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, gracefully touched down as planned, marking a significant milestone in India’s space exploration endeavors.
The news of this triumph has ignited celebrations across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his elation, asserting that “India is now on the Moon.” He praised the accomplishment as he watched the event unfold live from South Africa, where he was attending the Brics summit.
The success of the lunar landing is the result of tireless dedication from a generation of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists, as stated by ISRO chief Sreedhara Panicker Somanath. He highlighted that this achievement is a collective effort that extends beyond the current team’s endeavors.
This achievement comes on the heels of Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft encountering difficulties and crashing into the Moon, underscoring the challenges of landing in the uneven and crater-filled terrain of the lunar south pole region.
India’s previous attempt to soft-land in the same region in 2019 was unsuccessful, with the lander and rover suffering damage. However, the orbiter from that mission persevered and continues to function, further contributing to India’s lunar exploration objectives.
The successful touchdown of Vikram heralds a new chapter in India’s lunar exploration ambitions. The rover, named Pragyaan, is poised to emerge from the lander’s belly and traverse the Moon’s surface, capturing essential data and images for transmission back to Earth.
One of the primary goals of this mission is to locate water-based ice, a critical resource for potential human habitation and future space missions. The vast shadowed regions of the lunar south pole are believed to harbor substantial reserves of water ice, hich could also serve as propellant for spacecraft bound for Mars and other distant destinations.
The lander and rover are equipped with scientific instruments designed to analyze the Moon’s surface characteristics, its near-surface atmosphere, and even tectonic activity below. The rover’s wheels bear India’s emblem and logo, which will leave imprints on the lunar soil during its exploration.
Chandrayaan-3, India’s forthcoming lunar mission, aims to build upon the successes of previous missions and promises to unveil significant scientific discoveries. This mission arrives 15 years after Chandrayaan-1, which made the groundbreaking revelation of water molecules on the Moon’s surface and confirmed the existence of lunar daylight atmosphere.
Even though Chandrayaan-2 faced challenges during its soft landing attempt, its orbiter perseveres in orbit around the Moon, transmitting valuable data and images back to Earth. India’s pursuit of lunar exploration aligns with a global trend, as multiple countries are embarking on lunar missions, driven by a collective quest for understanding the Moon’s mysteries and its role as a gateway to the cosmos.
