Chennai, Aug 23 (UNI): Marking a monumental event in its space journey, India scripted history by becoming the first country to explore the South Polar region when its third Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully soft landed on the Moon’s surface on Wednesday evening.
The powered descent of the Lander Module (LM), carrying a Rover, on board the Chandrayaan-3, started at 5.44 pm and after the challenging task of performing rough and fine braking maneuvres, it made a soft landing on
the moon’s surface at 6 pm.
Chandrayaan-3 is an Indian lunar mission that boldly reached where no country has ever been — the Moon’s south polar region. All of the previous spacecraft to have landed on the Moon have landed in the region near the Moon’s equator, because it is easier and safer here.
The terrain and temperature are more conducive for a long and sustained operation of instruments. Sunlight is also present, offering a regular supply of energy to solar-powered instruments.
The polar regions of the Moon, however, are different. Many parts lie in a completely dark region without sunlight, and temperatures can go below 230 degrees Celsius, creating difficulty in the operation of instruments.
In addition, there are large craters all over the place. As a result, the polar regions of the Moon have remained unexplored. The frigid temperatures could mean that anything trapped in the region would remain frozen in time, without undergoing much change.
The rocks and soil in the Moon’s north and south poles could therefore provide clues to the early Solar System. The aim of the mission was to improve our understanding of the Moon, which could lead to discoveries that would benefit India and humanity as a whole.
These insights and experiences will cause a paradigm shift in how lunar expeditions are approached for years to come, propelling further voyages into the farthest frontiers.
On why the mission, ISRO said the Moon is the closest cosmic body on which space discovery can be attempted and documented.
