Finally Another Moon Landing Thanks to India!
Introduction
A few days ago, India taught us a valuable lesson, which is that what seemed impossible for others,
could be possible for us! For ages, the moon has always
captivated our imaginations. But it wasn't until recently that we actually set foot on it. First,
we sent robots, and then we sent people. The Soviet Union was the first to deliberately crash
a spacecraft into the moon in 1959, and the U.S. did the same thing in 1962. Other countries have
also intentionally crashed their spacecrafts on the moon, like Japan, the European Space Agency,
India, and China. But now, space agencies have figured out how to do soft landings. After their
initial crash landings, several countries have successfully used braking rockets to softly
land on the lunar surface and conduct scientific experiments. The Soviet Union was the first to do
this in 1966, followed by the U.S., and China. Just last week, the Russian Luna 25 and the
Indian Chandrayaan-3 missions attempted soft landings at the moon's south pole,
a region of interest because of the occurrence of water ice in permanently shadowed areas around it.
Unfortunately, Russia's mission failed, but India became the fourth nation to succeed
in a soft landing on the moon. Follow me to know more about it!
Mission
According to the Indian space agency, India has successfully landed on the Moon
with Chandrayaan-3's rover descending from the lander. Similar to the United States,
the former Soviet Union, and China, India has now achieved a soft landing on the Moon.
After the dust settled, Vikram's panels opened, and Pragyan was able to slide down to the lunar
surface using a ramp. Pragyan will now be able to gather important data and images to be sent
back to Earth for analysis, studying the minerals and chemical composition of the lunar surface.
Communication will be done through the lander, which will transmit the information to the orbiter
from Chandrayaan-2 for further analysis on Earth. Moving at a speed of 1cm per second, Pragyan will
leave the imprint of the Indian Space Research Organization’s logo and emblem on its wheels.
The landing took place at the beginning of a lunar day, giving the lander and rover
14 days of sunlight to charge their batteries. Once night falls, their operations will cease,
and it is unknown if they will reactivate in the next lunar day. The lander is also
equipped with various scientific instruments to explore the Moon's surface and surroundings.
The main objective of the mission is to search for water in the Moon's south
pole, where permanently shadowed craters are believed to potentially contain ice, serving as
a valuable resource for future human habitation and space travel to destinations such as Mars.
Objectives
So why that particular landing location?
First up, we have the famous water ice – very far from the kind you would need for
your typical lemonade, however the type that might quench the thirst of destiny
lunar missions. India's wondering long term – sipping lunar lemonade,
so are y’all people in? The south pole is given the possibility to host life. Water isn't always
simply proper for slaking thirst; it's a key aspect for nurturing lifestyles and building
the swankiest lunar Airbnb. I bet the price of that won’t be as fun as the idea seems.
Let's dive into the whys and hows – lunar rocks and mysteries. The south pole is like a records
e-book, revealing the deepest darkest secrets of our Moon’s past, hiding important clues about
water and other volatile deposits. It's the perfect spot for cold traps, those mysterious
and crucial places where ice from comets and meteorites hides. But how do we know these
cold traps really contain ice? Well, scientists have done some clever experiments and readings,
and they've confirmed it - there's definitely ice in those traps. But that's not all they found.
They also discovered something called hydroxyl, adding even more intrigue to this lunar mystery.
This incredible discovery sparked the interest of researchers, leading to the funding of
missions that are laser-focused on exploring the lunar poles using powerful infrared detection.
So why does the ice stay in these traps? It's all thanks to the Moon's thermal behavior,
controlled by a fascinating mix of factors like sunlight scattering, thermal re-radiation,
internal heat, and even the Earth's own light. It's like a delicate dance that keeps the
ice locked away in these lunar cold traps, just waiting for us to uncover its secrets.
Now, believe this – a lunar exosphere, kind of like the Moon's model of a VIP lounge. The south
pole's got an extraordinary exosphere, complete with gases and compounds which are begging to be
studied. It's like the Moon's manner of saying, "Welcome to my kick back area!"
But hold on tight, due to the fact here's the satisfactory element – India's not
simply touchdown rovers; they are touchdown rovers in a place
this is trickier than navigating a cosmic maze.
Who knew the Moon's south pole might be so hip? It's the last cosmic hangout,
and India just got themselves an exclusive VIP pass!
Spacecraft
The spacecraft is equipped with three important parts:
The propulsion module, the lander and the rover. Let’s go through them one by one.
**Propulsion module**
As the spacecraft glides closer to its destination, the propulsion module comes
into play. This module, resembling a sturdy box, boasts an impressive solar panel on one side,
harnessing the power of the sun to fuel this incredible journey. On top of the module,
you'll find a cylindrical structure known as the Inter-modular Adapter Cone, which serves
as the gateway for the lander to connect with the propulsion module. This innovative
design allows for a seamless connection, preparing the team for their lunar adventure.
**Vikram Lander**
The Vikram lander was a remarkable spacecraft part that played a crucial
role in India's Chandrayaan-3 mission. It was designed with advanced technology to
ensure a gentle landing on the surface of the moon. The lander was named after
Dr. Vikram A. Sarabhai, a true pioneer and visionary in India's space program.
Vikram (the lander, not the human) weighs approximately 1,471 kilograms, and was equipped
with a range of scientific instruments, making it a versatile and invaluable asset. Its primary
task was to flawlessly land on the moon's surface and deploy the Pragyan rover to conduct important
operations. The lander was specifically engineered to navigate the challenging lunar terrain,
utilizing advanced navigation and guidance systems to ensure an incredibly precise landing.
However, despite the comprehensive planning and advanced design,
the mission experienced a heart-stopping moment during the attempted landing in September 2019,
and fortunately made it all the way through in August 2023! What a progress! During the
Chandrayaan-2 mission, the world held its breath as communication with the lander was lost when
it was just a few kilometers above the lunar surface. This unexpected turn of events left
a sense of anticipation and hope as the fate of Vikram remained uncertain. Subsequent analysis
revealed that the lander had made a hard landing, though its exact location could not be determined.
The mission of the Vikram lander extended beyond its intended landing on the moon.
It encapsulated India's ambitious aspirations to explore the vast expanse of the cosmos and make
significant scientific contributions. While the landing itself did not unfold as planned,
Vikram made an indelible mark on the field of space exploration. It served as
a poignant reminder of the immense challenges and complexities inherent in interplanetary missions.
**Pragyan Rover**
The Pragyan rover definitely takes center stage. This incredible robotic car,
weighing just 27 kilograms and standing at a height of 1 meter,
holds the key to unraveling the mysteries of the lunar surface.
It is equipped with an impressive array of advanced instruments, and ready to
go on a quest to collect vital records that will revolutionize scientific studies. Its mission? To
delve into the composition and characteristics of the moon's surface, focusing on the landing site.
This compact powerhouse boasts an ingenious mobility system comprising
wheels and suspension mechanisms, perfect for navigating the challenging lunar terrain with
precision. Powered by sunlight captured by its solar panels, Pragyan gracefully glides
across the moon's surface at a leisurely pace of a few centimeters per second.
But that's not all - Pragyan is armed with the most advanced cutting-edge cameras and
spectrometers that capture high-resolution images and perform elemental analysis of the lunar soil.
Every pixel it captures provides valuable insights into the moon's secrets,
fueling the thirst for knowledge and paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries.
Russia’s Failed Luna 25 Mission
Landing on the south pole of the moon is much harder and less trivial than it
seems. We often hear people saying “If people have landed on the moon before,
then why don’t they just do it again? And why is it not more often now?”
Well, a lot of things come into play when landing is part of the job,
because of the very uneven craters the moon hosts. Let’s take for example what happened to Luna 25.
In a very disappointing turn of events, Russia's first moon mission in 47 years
ended in failure when its Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed into the moon.
The incident highlighted the decline of Russia's once mighty space program,
which had once been at the forefront of space exploration.
The mission had raised hopes in Moscow that Russia was returning to the big power moon race,
but instead, it underscored the challenges the country faces in maintaining its space power.
The failure occurred as the Luna-25 craft was being prepared for a pre-landing orbit.
The craft moved into an unpredictable orbit and ultimately collided with the surface of the moon,
leading to its destruction. The Russian state space corporation, Roskosmos,
lost contact with the craft, marking a significant setback for the country's space ambitions.
Russia's decline in space power is starkly contrasted with its glory days during the
Cold War when it was the first to launch a satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit in 1957.
Additionally, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space in 1961.
These achievements solidified Russia's position as a space superpower. However,
since then, Russia's space program has faced numerous challenges and setbacks.
While moon missions are notoriously difficult and failures are not uncommon,
Russia's last attempt was in 1976. This extended absence from moon missions further highlighted
the decline of the country's space program. In contrast, other nations, such as India,
China, and the United States of America, have continued to advance their lunar ambitions.
India, in particular, has been racing against Russia with its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft set to
land on the moon's south pole. This competition adds pressure to Russia's space program,
as it strives to demonstrate its ability to compete with the superpowers in space. However,
the failure of the Luna-25 mission may impact Russia's moon program and its
future collaborations with countries like China.
The Three Other Flags!
India is not alone up there! It has joined a community of
successful landers! Who are these elite members?
Firstly, the United States, where the Apollo program conducted a series of successful manned
missions to the Moon between 1969 and 1972. The most famous of these missions was Apollo 11,
which achieved the first manned lunar landing in 1969. NASA utilized the Saturn V rocket to
launch their spacecraft into lunar orbit, and the astronauts would descend to the
Moon's surface using the Lunar Module. After full completion of their objectives,
they would return to the command module and safely return to Earth.
Second, there is the Soviet Union's Luna program, which is focused on lunar exploration through
robotic missions. They achieved notable milestones, such as Luna 2 becoming the
first spacecraft to impact the Moon and Luna 9 achieving the first soft landing. Luna 24,
in 1972, brought back soil samples from the Moon. However, their accomplishments
were unfortunately overshadowed by the United States' successful manned missions.
And last but not least, we have the China's lunar exploration efforts that are led by the China
National Space Administration (CNSA) under the Chang'e program. Their missions aim to explore the
Moon's surface and its resources. Chang'e 3, in 2013, achieved China's first soft landing on the
Moon and deployed the Yutu rover for scientific experiments. Chang'e 4, in 2019, became the first
mission to land on the far side of the Moon, and Chang'e 5, in 2020, successfully returned lunar
soil samples to Earth. These missions have furthered China's exploration of the Moon.
Outro
India's successful landing on the Moon with Chandrayaan-3's rover marks a significant
achievement for the country's space agency. Joining the ranks of the United States,
the former Soviet Union, and China, India has now accomplished a soft landing on the
lunar surface. The mission's main objective is to search for water in the Moon's south pole,
where permanently shadowed craters are believed to potentially contain ice. This
valuable resource could serve as a crucial asset for future human habitation and space travel.