Opinion

#Chandrayaan-3 : Reaching For The Moon

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Picture : ISRO/ Twitter

India scripted history as the first country to land near the south pole of the Moon with its Chandrayaan-3 lander on Aug. 23, 2023, making it the first country to land on the Moon since China in 2020. This achievement propels India into an exclusive group of only four nations and marks it as the first country to accomplish a landing on this previously unexplored lunar surface. The south pole of the Moon is of articular interest, as its surface, marked by craters, trenches and pockets of ancient ice, hasn’t been visited until now. The idea for exploring the lunar south pole stems from its potential as a reservoir of invaluable resources. Scientists believe that water ice lies within the shadowed craters, a discovery with profound implications for future space exploration. This water could be harnessed to generate drinking water, oxygen and hydrogen for rocket fuel.

The region’s extremely low temperatures could also preserve substances, offering insights into the early solar system and potentially harbouring volatile compounds like methane and ammonia for future human exploration. Additionally, the lunar south pole hosts the colossal South Pole-Aitken Basin, the moon’s largest impact basin. Analysing this feature could unravel the moon’s origins and evolution.
On this historic feat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation for the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. Modi said, it was “the dawn of a new era”.

“Every Indian is celebrating today. Every home is celebrating. I am also connected to the people of my country at this proud moment. It is the dawn of a new era. “No country has reached there (the South Pole of the moon) before. With the hard work of our scientists we have reached there.” Modi also congratulated the team of scientists at ISRO who made the mission a success.

“Kabhi kaha jata tha chanda mama bahut door ke hain, ab ek din wo bhi ayega jab bacche kaha karenge chanda mama bass ek tour ke hain

(Earlier children used to say Moon is far, but now they will the Moon is just a tour),” Modi said.
Upon the successful soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3, ISRO in a tweet said, “India, I reached my destination and you too!’: Chandrayaan-3.

Chandrayaan-3 has successfully soft-landed on the moon!. Congratulations, India!”
Responding to the tweet, Modi said that it was a proud moment for India. “Chandrayaan-3’s triumph mirrors the aspirations and capabilities of 140 crore Indians. To new horizons and beyond! Proud moment for India, Modi tweeted.

Wishes poured in for India both domestic and international. President Droupadi Murmu said, “new information obtained from the moon through Chandrayaan-3 would benefit the whole world and the unprecedented success of the scientists of India has made India the first country to reach the South Pole of the moon.”

Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, lauded India’s tech capabilities and its role in spearheading digitization. Highlighting India’s technological prowess, Chandrasekhar pointed to Chandrayaan 3 as evidence of the nation’s ability to execute deep-tech successfully. He emphasized India’s growing potential in fostering inclusivity through technology, stating, “This is an exciting time for India’s tech space as we are building deep tech capabilities, no one would have thought that we would be at this stage.”

Congratulating India, Sri Lankan Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said that the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon “is a remarkable milestone for the advancement of lunar science and exploration.” Premadasa, in Lankan Parliament, noted that the mission, launched on July 14, reached the Moon’s South Pole, making India the sole nation to achieve such a feat.

Meanwhile ISRO chief S Somnath shared the reason on choosing the Moon’s south pole for this mission. He stated that the strategic choice of the south pole, at nearly 70 degrees latitude, offers distinct advantages due to “being less illuminated by the sun.” He added that this unique characteristic enhances the scientific potential of the mission, allowing for deeper exploration and analysis.

“Scientists who are working on the moon showed a lot of interest in the south pole because ultimately human beings want to go and create colonies and then travel beyond. So, the best place is something we are looking for and the South Pole has the potential to be that,” he added.

Buoyed by the success , Chandrayaan-3 was the toast of the world. A feat seen as not only a win for India but for the mankind, globally, this historic achievement has only further enhanced the position of India as a go-getter and never-say-die approach. To sum it up, one can say, even the stars are aligned with the success of India reaching out for the Moon!

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