Chandrayaan-3 Triumphs: Navigating Lunar Challenges, Unveiling Moon's Secrets

After years of tireless efforts, India on 23 August 2023 achieved a historic milestone as it became the first country to successfully land on the Moon's south pole. The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission's Vikram Lander accomplished a gentle touchdown.

Not just 140 crore Indians but also dignitaries from around the world have lauded India's significant achievement. After the mission's triumphant achievement, the country erupted into a jubilant celebration. People fondly recalled the emotional moment from four years ago when K Sivan, the former chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation, was moved to tears following the setback during Chandrayaan-2's attempted soft landing in September 2019.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
'India🇮🇳,
I reached my destination
and you too!'
: Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 has successfully
soft-landed on the moon 🌖!.

Congratulations, India🇮🇳!#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3

— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023

“India, I reached my destination, and you too!" Chandrayaan-3 sent its first message upon landing on the lunar surface after over a month of journey from the Earth. Hours later, the Pragyan Rover rolled out from the lander and is positioned on the ramp right now. Further, it will set off on its mission to gather data on the elemental composition of the Moon's atmosphere and other objectives. The rover will be setting an imprint of the ISRO logo & India's National Emblem on the surface of the moon.

Both Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover are designed to function for one lunar day, which is 14 days on the Earth.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:

Chandrayaan-3 ROVER:
Made in India 🇮🇳
Made for the MOON🌖!

The Ch-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander and
India took a walk on the moon !

More updates soon.#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3

— ISRO (@isro) August 24, 2023

Here are some noteworthy points on how Chandryaan-3's success is applause-worthy!

• The achievement's significance is immense, marking India as the pioneer in successfully landing a satellite's lander and rover. While the U.S., China, and the former Soviet Union have achieved soft lunar landings, none have reached the lunar south pole—a goal that has eluded even determined efforts. In 2019, Israel's Beresheet spacecraft crashed during its descent, and a Japanese probe met a similar fate in April 2023. India and Russia's race was driven by ISRO's leisurely trajectory for Chandrayaan-3, while Luna 25 took a faster route. Despite India's 26-day head start, Luna 25's journey ended abruptly on August 20 due to a failed engine firing.

• On July 14, the Indian spacecraft, Chandrayaan-3, blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in southeastern India, carrying a 1,726 kg (3,805 lb) lander, which itself contains a little 26 kg (57 lb) rover. Then on August 9, Russia followed in hot pursuit, launching its 1,750 kg (3,858 lb) Luna 25 lander from the newly built Vostochny Cosmodrome in the country’s far eastern Amur Oblast region.

• The moon's southern pole poses a challenging landing site due to its rocky terrain, unlike the flat areas preferred by Apollo missions and earlier landers near the equator. Previous attempts at the South Pole never reached the boulder-strewn areas. ISRO's achievement in maneuvering Chandrayaan-3 into hover mode at 850 m above ground to find a suitable spot demonstrates the spacecraft's agility and the skill of mission control engineers.

• Despite the risks, global space agencies and private companies persistently target the South Pole due to compelling reasons. Speculations about water ice crystals and frozen lakes in the permanently shadowed craters were proven right by India's Chandrayaan-1 in 2008. The mission's spectrometer confirmed icy regolith and a 29 kg impactor probe affirmed water's presence moments before impact.

• This discovery holds immense value for future lunar settlers. Water can be extracted for drinking and split to obtain oxygen, also serving as rocket fuel when combined. NASA's Artemis program plans a crewed lunar landing at the South Pole in the coming years, and China also eyes this region for a crewed mission around 2030.

While human presence on the moon is a later objective, Chandrayaan-3 will conduct vital research using its onboard tools and the small six-wheeled rover. Its study of this moon region contributes to the knowledge base for eventual lunar exploration and habitation endeavors.

To get more updates and latest pictures, stay connected to ISRO's social media handles.