SRINAGAR: ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 finally made a successful landing on the moon on Wednesday around 6 pm. The final landing of the Chandrayaan-3 landing module Vikram was broadcast live in real and virtual India, including in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, Srinagar.
Launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on July 14, Chandrayaan-3 will deploy a rover on the lunar surface “to conduct in-situ scientific experiments,” among other objectives. Vikram – in memory of Vikram Sarabhai- lander successfully separated from the propulsion module on August 17.
With Chadrayaan-3 successful landing, India has become the first country to land a probe in the Moon’s south polar region. It came within days after Russia’s Luna-25 smashed into the Moon’s surface while attempting to make a soft landing in almost the same region.
So far, only three other countries – Russia, China, and the United States of America have successfully landed a rover on the Moon. The 3900-kg probe cost ISRO Rs 615 crore.
“Like our scientists said, India is on the Moon now,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO via live video from South Africa, where he is attending the BRICS Summit. He was watching the probe’s landing virtually and made a brief speech after the landing. “This moment is precious and unprecedented. This moment announces the victory of new India. This moment is the strength of 1.4 billion heartbeats”.
For the next 14 days — equivalent to one moon day — the Pragyan Rover will send images and data from the surface of the moon. After 14 days, its activity is likely to slow down, given that it is powered by solar cells.
The successful landing has kicked up a lot of fine dust. The rover Pragyan will roll out only when the dust has moved away. Unlike Earth, the dust will not settle in moon, given its lower gravitation.
“The mission could cement India’s status as a global superpower in space. Previously, only the United States, China and the former Soviet Union have completed soft landings on the lunar surface,” CNN reported. “Chandrayaan-3’s landing site is also closer to the moon’s south pole than any other spacecraft in history has ventured. The south pole region is considered an area of key scientific and strategic interest for spacefaring nations, as scientists believe the region to be home to water ice deposits.”
Space scientists hope that the frozen waters could be converted into rocket fuel or even drinking water for future crewed missions.
In Srinagar’s Lal Chowk where the vent was telecast, the tourists from the plains danced and shouted slogans in praise of Prime Minister Modi.
