India’s Chandrayaan-3 Makes History by Landing on the Moon’s South Pole

 

India has achieved a historic feat in space exploration by successfully landing a spacecraft on the moon's south pole. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on July 14, 2023, consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan.

The lander and rover separated from the propulsion module, which carried them from Earth to lunar orbit, on Aug. 23, 2023, and began their descent to the surface. After performing a series of maneuvers and using advanced sensors and instruments to avoid hazards, Vikram touched down softly on a flat region near the lunar south pole at 3:58 p.m. EDT (1958 GMT or 1:28 a.m. local time Aug. 24).

The landing was confirmed by ISRO's mission control center in Bengaluru, India, and was greeted with cheers and applause by the scientists and engineers involved in the mission. ISRO Chairman K. Sivan congratulated the team and said that Chandrayaan-3 was a "proud moment for India and the world."

A group of people in a control room clapping and cheering as they watch a screen showing India’s lunar lander landing on the moon.

A few minutes after landing, Vikram deployed Pragyan, a six-wheeled rover that weighs about 57 lbs. (26 kg). Pragyan rolled out of the lander and began its exploration of the lunar terrain. The rover is equipped with two scientific instruments: an Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and a Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). These instruments will analyze the chemical composition of the rocks and soil on the moon.

The lander also carries four scientific payloads: a Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA), a Chandra’s Surface Thermo physical Experiment (ChaSTE), an Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), and a Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA). These payloads will study the lunar environment, temperature, seismic activity, and reflectivity.

The lander and rover are expected to operate for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 Earth days. During this period, they will communicate with ISRO's Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) in Byalalu, India, as well as with the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, which is still orbiting the moon since its launch in 2019. The propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3 will also remain in lunar orbit and conduct a spectro-polarimetry experiment to observe Earth's atmosphere.

A close-up view of the moon’s surface with craters and rocks, captured by a camera on India’s lunar lander as it descends towards the landing site.

Chandrayaan-3 is India's third lunar exploration mission under the Chandrayaan programme, which began in 2008 with Chandrayaan-1. Chandrayaan-1 was India's first lunar orbiter and carried an impactor that crashed into the moon's surface, confirming the presence of water ice. Chandrayaan-2 was launched in 2019 and consisted of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. However, the lander and rover failed to land on the moon due to a loss of communication during the final descent.

With Chandrayaan-3, India has become the fourth country ever to land a spacecraft on the moon, after the former Soviet Union, the United States, and China. India is also the first country to land on the moon's south pole, which is considered to be a scientifically interesting and challenging region. The south pole has craters that are permanently shadowed and may contain water ice and other resources that could be useful for future human missions.

Chandrayaan-3 is not only a milestone for India's space programme, but also a contribution to humanity's quest for knowledge and exploration of the moon. The mission's data and discoveries will help us understand more about our nearest celestial neighbor and its potential for future exploration.