India's Moon landing a historic success

author: FutureCar Staff    

India has achieved a significant milestone in space exploration by successfully landing its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the Moon's south pole. This region is uncharted territory that scientists believe may hold important reserves of frozen water and precious elements. The spacecraft, carrying a rover, had been orbiting before attempting the landing, creating an anxious wait for India's space scientists in Bengaluru.

This is the first time a spacecraft has touched down in this lunar region, making it a landmark achievement for India. The country is making its second attempt in four years to join the United States, the Soviet Union, and China in exploring this unexplored area. Interestingly, India unexpectedly found itself in a race with Russia, which had planned to land its Luna-25 spacecraft in the same region on Monday. However, the Russian spacecraft crashed into the Moon after spinning into an uncontrolled orbit.

Russia's failure to land successfully was attributed to a lack of expertise due to the long break in lunar research following the last Soviet mission to the Moon in 1976. In contrast, India's Chandrayaan-3 landing has been highly anticipated, with thousands of people gathering around televisions in offices, shops, restaurants, and homes to witness the event. Many also prayed for the mission's success, lighting oil lamps on river banks, temples, and religious places.

Chandrayaan-3, meaning "moon craft" in Sanskrit, took off from Sriharikota in southern India on July 14. The mission aims to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface and gather data on the properties of lunar soil and rocks. This mission follows a failed attempt four years ago to land a rover on the Moon's surface for scientific experiments. The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) sees this mission as a remarkable milestone that symbolizes India's progress in space exploration and its contribution to scientific inquiry and innovation.

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, the mission had confirmed the presence of water deposits in permanently shadowed moon craters. Now, Isro is focusing on perfecting the landing aspect of its lunar missions. Many countries and private companies are also in a race to successfully land spacecraft on the Moon, with previous attempts by Japan and an Israeli non-profit organization ending in crashes.

For India, this successful landing is not just a scientific achievement but also a demonstration of the country's prowess in security and technology. As India emerges as the world's fifth-largest economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist government is eager to showcase its capabilities to the world.

FutureCar Staff