Chandrayaan-3 Lands on the Moon
On Wednesday, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission marked a historical touchdown on the moon’s untouched south pole. This breakthrough event propels India into an elite group, becoming the fourth nation—joining the ranks of Russia, the U.S., and China—to achieve a moon landing. Moreover, it stands out as the first to successfully touch down on a lunar pole.
As the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft circled the moon on August 20, 2023, the lunar surface beneath it bore witness to what was to come—a preparatory phase before the remarkable landing.
Historic day for India's space sector. Congratulations to @isro for the remarkable success of Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. https://t.co/F1UrgJklfp
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 23, 2023
Prime Minister Modi’s Global Message
Joining the event via livestream from Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 15th BRICS summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the universal significance of this achievement. “India’s successful moon mission is not just India’s alone … this success belongs to all of humanity,” Modi expressed during the ISRO event’s webcast. Modi further inspired with his words, “We can all aspire for the moon, and beyond.”
The Allure of the Lunar South Pole
Recent exploratory initiatives have spotlighted the lunar south pole, fueled by discoveries of water ice traces on the moon. It’s noteworthy that India’s successful landing came after a previous attempt with Chandrayaan-2 in September 2019, which ended abruptly due to a software glitch.
Only a few days before India’s triumph, Russia’s Luna-25 mission, its first moon attempt in nearly half a century, met with adversity, crashing onto the lunar surface. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, later confirmed the spacecraft’s loss of control.
India’s space endeavors are increasingly positioning it as a pivotal player on the international stage. This upward trajectory was evident when, in June, Modi, during his U.S. visit, penned agreements with President Joe Biden to join the Artemis Accords, aiming to deepen ties between ISRO and NASA. A collaborative mission is on the horizon for the next year, where the space agencies plan to fly Indian astronauts to the International Space Station.
A Cost-Effective Approach to Space Exploration
India’s commitment to space exploration has not only showcased its capabilities but also its efficient budgeting. ISRO operates on a fraction of NASA’s budget, exemplified by the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s estimated cost of $75 million. The mission’s launch, initially slated for 2021, faced a delay due to the Covid pandemic.
On July 14, 2023, as the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft embarked on its monumental journey from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh, proud citizens waved the Indian flag, symbolizing the nation’s soaring ambitions in space.
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