After a 40-day journey originating from the Sathish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India’s Chandrayaan-3 has triumphantly landed on the moon’s southern pole, overcoming past crash incidents.
The Vikram lander, previously associated with lunar mishaps, has finally reached its destination on the moon’s south pole, under the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) meticulous guidance.
ISRO activated the spacecraft’s automatic landing sequence, initiating an algorithm to facilitate a smooth landing at the designated spot.
Chandrayaan-3 is poised for a two-week operational phase, during which it will conduct diverse experiments, including spectrometer analysis of lunar surface minerals following the landing.
Notably, this venture is instrumental in assessing the presence of water ice on the moon’s south pole, vital for lunar geology insights.
The mission’s primary aim is to showcase ISRO’s competence in executing gentle lunar landings.
In 2019, India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission encountered a setback with an unsuccessful landing near the moon’s south pole.
Chandrayaan-3’s recent success, following past trials, aligns with Russia parallel lunar landing endeavor.
By achieving a soft lunar landing, India joins a select league of nations comprising Russia, China, and the United States.
The legacy of the Indian space program traces back to Vikram Sarabhai, acknowledged through the Vikram lander’s namesake.
The Chandrayaan-3 Rover will perform on-the-go chemical analyses of the moon’s surface, deployed by the Vikram lander before its gentle touchdown at the southern pole.
