Chandrayaan-3: India’s Monumental Leap in Space Exploration
A recap on the journey so far and the remarkable feats achieved
India has added a remarkable chapter to its space exploration history with the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which has seen the spacecraft landing successfully on the moon, marking India’s entry into an elite group of nations capable of such a feat. As the lander now rests during the 14-day lunar night, a period of hibernation before the next operational phase, it harbors hopes for further discoveries as it resumes activity later in September.
A depiction of the Chandrayaan-3 after landing on the moon. Source: ISRO
The mission, which primarily aimed to explore and gather data on the moon’s soil and its sparse atmosphere, has already made significant strides. The moon’s southern pole was the landing site chosen for its promising scientific potentials, thanks to the possible presence of water ice, a resource that could potentially be utilized in future space endeavors. Not just marking a technological milestone, the event fostered national unity, witnessed by over 70 million people who tuned in for the live coverage and thousands who attended viewing events across India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the team behind the Chandrayaan-3 mission for their relentless efforts towards augmenting human understanding of the cosmos for the greater good of humanity.
The mission’s significant achievements aside, the spacecraft now lies in a dormant state to conserve energy during the lunar night when it remains shielded from the sun. The ISRO has expressed optimism that the Chandrayaan-3 lander and the rover it carried will resume functioning post this period, slated for a revival on September 22.
Chandrayaan-3’s rover exploring the moon. Source: ISRO
Reflecting on the journey so far, Chandrayaan-3 distinguished itself shortly after a failed attempt by Russia to land Luna-25 at a nearby location on the moon. The Indian spacecraft not only landed but promptly began sending updates, revealing its successful landing and subsequent operations, including the deployment of a six-wheeled rover to further explore the lunar secrets at the south pole.
Equipped with a variety of scientific instruments, both the lander and the rover engaged in analyses of the moon’s regolith to detect water ice and study the moon’s exosphere. While traversing over 100 meters on the lunar surface, the rover also recorded surprising data on the moon’s surface temperature, which was hotter than expected, and detected seismic activities.
The Chandrayaan-3’s leap on the moon demonstrating its mobility. Source: NASA
In a further demonstration of its technological prowess, the lander executed a small leap, elevating itself slightly and relocating a short distance away to illustrate the potential for moving after landing, a technique pertinent for future missions envisaging the return of soil samples or astronauts from the moon.
Despite the successful execution of all primary objectives outlined for the mission, uncertainty looms over the resumption of operations post the dormant period. Yet, the Chandrayaan-3 stands as a testimony to India’s advanced capabilities in space exploration, fostering anticipation for its awakening to continue its lunar investigation.
