India successfully lands spacecraft near Moon's southern pole on second try.

author: FutureCar Staff    

India has made history by successfully landing a spacecraft near the Moon's south pole, a region that has been little-explored. This achievement solidifies India's growing prowess in space and technology. Scientists believe that the south pole region could potentially hold important reserves of frozen water and valuable elements.

The Chandrayaan-3 lander, carrying a rover, touched down on the lunar surface, sparking cheers and applause among the space scientists in Bengaluru, India. This successful landing makes India the first country to touch down near the south pole region, joining the United States, the Soviet Union, and China in achieving a Moon landing. It is a significant milestone for India.

Russia's recent attempt to land a spacecraft in the same lunar region, called Luna-25, ended in failure as it spun into an uncontrolled orbit and crashed. This would have been Russia's first successful lunar landing in 47 years. The head of Russia's space corporation, Roscosmos, attributed the failure to a lack of expertise due to the long break in lunar research since the last Soviet mission in 1976.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 was met with excitement and anticipation across India. People gathered around televisions in offices, shops, restaurants, and homes to witness this historic moment. Thousands had prayed for the mission's success, lighting oil lamps on river banks, temples, and religious places.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the Indian Space Research Organisation's control room during the landing, waving the Indian flag and expressing his pride. Chandrayaan-3, which means "moon craft" in Sanskrit, took off from Sriharikota in southern India on July 14.

The Indian Space Research Organisation stated that this achievement marks a significant step forward for Indian science, engineering, technology, and industry. It generates a sense of pride and unity among Indians and contributes to fostering an environment of scientific inquiry and innovation.

The south pole region of the Moon is of great interest to many countries and private companies due to the possibility of finding frozen water, which could be crucial for future astronaut missions. Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with payloads that will provide valuable data on the properties of lunar soil and rocks.

India's previous attempt to land a spacecraft near the Moon's south pole in 2019 ended in failure due to a software glitch. However, this setback did not deter India's determination to explore and make advancements in space technology.

With India emerging as the world's fifth-largest economy, the government under Prime Minister Modi aims to showcase India's rising standing in technology and space. A successful Moon mission aligns with this vision and will help bolster Modi's popularity ahead of an upcoming general election.

China, India's regional rival, has also been making strides in space exploration. In May, China launched a three-person crew for its orbiting space station and has plans to send astronauts to the Moon in the near future. The competition between India and China in space exploration has intensified, particularly after the border clashes in 2020.

Various countries and private companies are in a race to land spacecraft on the lunar surface. Japan, for example, plans to launch a lunar lander as part of an X-ray telescope mission. Two US companies are also vying to put landers on the Moon by the end of the year. NASA has its own plans to land astronauts at the lunar south pole in the coming years, taking advantage of the frozen water in the craters.

FutureCar Staff