India on Moon
Vikram has landed!
These resounding words mark the historic moments for Indian Space Programme India has made history as its Moon mission becomes the first to land in the lunar South Pole.
Moon-landing
India is amongst the few countries which have reached the moon. India joins an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon being only the fourth in the world after the US, the former Soviet Union and China.
Vikram the lander from Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on August 23rd when the entire nation was glued to Television watching this historic moment. It is the proud moment for the country when its science has reached the stars.
Celebrations and Success
Celebrating the occasion ISRO Chief has said ‘We have reached where no other country could reach’ and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that “India is now on the Moon”.
Indeed true.. it is work of generation of ISRO Scientists and the dream come true achievement for Vikram Sarabhai who pioneered India’s space programme
The achievement is very special as no country in the world could achieve it and India is the first nation to soft land on the South Pole of the Moon. It is very difficult to land on the South Pole of the moon as the surface is uneven and it has huge craters. Russian Spacecraft Luna has crash landed just earlier to our successful moon landing. Prior to this India’s earlier attempt to land on the south pole of the moon missed by margin in 2019
Perfect Touchdown
Everything went with clockwork precision.. as the lander Vikram after ISRO founder Vikram Sarabhai – began its precarious descent, carrying within 26kg rover named Pragyaan. The speed of the spacecraft was progressively reduced to make the soft landing on the lunar surface.
The moment came and at the touchdown the entire country was in celebration. The live simulation was shown on huge screens at every nook and corner where the people cheered the remarkable fete.
In a few hours the six-wheeled rover crawled out of the lander’s belly and started roaming roam around the Moon’s surface
Mapping Moon
The Chandrayan -3 mission’s major goal is to hunt for water-based ice which, scientists say, could support human habitation on the Moon in future. It could also be used for supplying propellant for spacecraft headed to Mars and other distant destinations.
The lander and the rover were equipped with five scientific instruments which has sent the vital data of moons measurements.
Physical characteristics of the surface of the Moon, the atmosphere close to the surface and the tectonic activity of the moon is studied in details.
Future
Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third lunar mission, has come 15 years after Chandrayaan-1, the first Moon mission in 2008, which discovered the presence of water molecules on lunar surface
Chandrayaan-2 has missed the landing however the Chandrayan -2 orbiter is still orbiting the Moon
The lander and rover will function for 15 days and later will be kept on sleep mode and will be awakened on the advent of moons new dawn after 15 days
India is looking for the substantial success by achieving vital data from moon which will help to further India’s Space Programme.
-Dr Siddhivinayak Barve
Editor, ScienceNow Digital
