India’s Lunar Ambitions Realized: Crafting a Soft Moon Landing

India successfully landed a robotic spacecraft on the Moon on Wednesday. This achievement came to light when just a few days ago, a Russian vehicle had an accident on the surface after firing its thrusters for a very long time.

India’s spacecraft, without any astronauts on board, descended near the southern pole of the Moon around 8:30 AM local time according to the Eastern Hemisphere. This region is favored by many countries because it contains water in the form of ice in permanently shaded craters.

The Indian Space Agency shared a picture of the lunar surface taken by the lander as soon as it touched down, but no information regarding the condition of the craft was given. The spacecraft, which was transporting a rover, was said to have been safely deployed late on Wednesday night. The space agency announced on social media that “India takes a stroll on the Moon!” The following was announced on Thursday morning: “All activities are on schedule. It’s normal in every system. To learn more about the makeup of the Moon’s soil and rocks, the rover will be operated for roughly 14 days.

More than a billion people rejoiced across the country as the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s successful landing was hailed as a victory for the nation’s lofty space ambitions. India became the fourth nation to safely land on the moon and the first to do so close to the South Pole after the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. A comparable mission had failed in its final seconds in 2019 due to a technical problem. However, the effort was successful in deploying a spacecraft that has been orbiting the moon and mapping its surface for years.

“India is on the moon,” Shriharikota Somanath, the head of the Indian Space Research Organisation, declared as Prime Minister Narendra Modi watched the Indian flag unfold.

India’s Lunar Ambitions Realized: Crafting a Soft Moon Landing

There are a number of missions planned for the Moon’s surface, including this one. At the end of this week, Japan is planning to launch a small spacecraft to test its ability to land on the surface of the Moon, a skill that will help with future missions. Additionally, as part of NASA’s Artemis program, two private American businesses working on a contract basis with the space agency will launch robotic spacecraft to the lunar surface at the end of this year.

Ultimately, NASA intends to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the last Apollo mission in 1972. This time the goal is to establish a long-term presence on and around the Moon and to use the Moon’s resources to support human life. NASA intends to set up a small space station around the Moon, called the ‘Gateway’, to support the endeavour.

Modi has tried to strengthen India’s space agency as a symbol of the country’s importance to the world. Analysts say its space program is being used to boost the Indian economy and booming tech sector. India has also tried to keep pace with China, which has big ambitions in space and has already landed on the moon. India has also increased its military space capabilities; In 2019, it shot down a satellite with a missile, demonstrating its ability to target hostile space assets.

Despite reducing funding for other divisions of the organization, funding for missions may have been set aside. NASA may be motivated to advance quickly and ensure it has enough funds through competition with China.

By the end of 2024, NASA will still attempt to send four humans into orbit around the Moon. The unmanned Orion spacecraft completed a successful orbit of the Moon last year, setting the stage for the Artemis II mission.

It has disturbed space organizations and scientists around the world who are eager to obtain it that water might be located close to the southern pole of the Moon. Water is essential to human life and would play a big part in any lunar settlement. However, it can also be used as rocket fuel if the hydrogen and oxygen are separated.

Nelson expressed his lack of concern about India’s arrival at the southern pole of the Moon ahead of the United States.He declared with confidence, “NASA has fully embraced the space industry. A collective endeavor is underway in the cosmic expanse, leading to the dispatch of an international mission to the lunar surface.”

ISRO engineers were working on a robust design for the Chandrayaan-3 flight. It was launched on July 14 and flew into the Moon’s orbit without any problems.

“Mission is on time,” the agency tweeted Tuesday. “Systems have been checked regularly. Sahaj Sailani continues.”