India united in celebration as its third space mission Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the lunar south pole, the first of its kind. The mission, which was approved by the Indian government in September 2020, touched down on the lunar south pole, much to the excitement of the scientific community.
The mission was twofold: to land a probe on the lunar south pole as well as to map an unexplored area of the Moon. The robotic probe, called Pragyan, was launched from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launch site in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, and is equipped with the newest in robotic and imaging tools. Its intention is to take high-resolution images of the lunar surface and gather scientific data.
The successful navigation of the spacecraft to the lunar south pole marks a major milestone in India’s space exploration mission. India is the fourth nation to land a probe on the Moon, after the U.S., Russia, and China. The mission was incredibly ambitious, considering that the area was previously unexplored by any other mission and that the spacecraft had to navigate through extreme temperatures and a vast network of debris.
Despite these challenges, the robotic probe not only safely landed on the lunar south pole but it has since sent back high-resolution images and formed a 3D map of the area. Although the images taken by the spacecraft are in their early stages of examination, the images show an abundance of craters scattered across the area as well as various terrains and mountain ranges.
What is truly remarkable about the mission is the mission of inclusiveness it has achieved. Several countries such as the United Kingdom, Estonia, and Switzerland were involved in the mission, providing resources and technology from their own country.
India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is a tremendous step forward in India’s space exploration program and adds to the list of successful satellite launches and moon landings the country has achieved. Mainstream media has thus echoed the sentiment of success that has blanketed India since the successful landing. Scientists from around the world anticipate a great deal of invaluable data that will be gathered by the spacecraft. The mission is set to last up to six months and will provide scientists with more detailed insight and data of the Moon’s surface.
In conclusion, the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is a reminder of India’s advancing space capabilities and its increasing role in space exploration. India made history on April 1, 2021 by becoming the fourth country to successfully land a probe on theMoon and will continue to make great strides in space exploration.