India's Chandrayaan-3 to Attempt Historic Moon South Pole Landing Tonight
ISRO's Lunar Probe Aims for First Successful South Pole Landing |
In a bold move following recent lunar mission setbacks, India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is poised to make history by attempting a pioneering landing at the Moon's South Pole tonight.
According to reports from Space.com, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will oversee the unmanned lunar probe Chandrayaan-3's landing attempt on the Moon's South Pole at 6:04 PM IST on the 23rd (9:34 PM KST). ISRO plans to provide a live broadcast of the landing process.
If Chandrayaan-3's landing is successful, India will secure the title of the first nation to achieve a lunar landing at the Moon's South Pole. Additionally, this achievement will mark India as the fourth country, following the Soviet Union, the United States, and China, to successfully land on the Moon.
As of now, Chandrayaan-3 is operating normally and actively conducting its mission. Launched on July 14th, the spacecraft successfully entered lunar orbit on August 5th. On the 17th, the Vikram lander module detached from the propulsion module, preparing for the landing.
Upon Vikram's successful lunar landing, the small exploration robot named Pragyan will engage in lunar research at the South Pole. Equipped with various scientific instruments, Pragyan will study the surrounding environment for about 14 days.
India's attempt to land on the Moon's South Pole is not their first endeavor in this direction. On the 19th of the previous month, Russia's Luna 25 lander faced engine malfunction while attempting to land and eventually crashed onto the lunar surface.
Several nations are drawn to the Moon's South Pole due to the presence of water in ice form. Water is an essential resource for sustaining life, and by extracting hydrogen, a component of rocket fuel, from water, the cost-effective production of rocket fuel becomes feasible. Direct access to water resources on the Moon could significantly enhance space exploration efficiency due to the Moon's lower gravity and reduced resource acquisition costs compared to Earth.
The upcoming attempt by Chandrayaan-3 on the night of the 23rd marks India's second lunar challenge. The previous Chandrayaan-2 mission, launched in 2019, encountered issues during its lunar descent and ultimately crash-landed.
However, Chandrayaan-2 successfully placed an orbiter around the Moon during this mission, and it continues to operate smoothly. ISRO has confirmed that Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander has established two-way communication with the orbiter, further demonstrating the agency's capabilities in lunar exploration.
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