Anurag Kumar
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) announced on Thursday that India had walked on the moon, as the Pragyan rover, which emerged from the Vikram lander on Wednesday night, was set to roll across the lunar surface hours after the latter made history by becoming the first craft to land on the moon’s south pole, catapulting India into the top tier of space powers.
Isro chief S Somanath stated that scientists were about to begin the next phase of the moon mission, which, over the next two weeks, could revolutionise global understanding of the uncharted southern pole of the moon’s seismology, soil profile, mineral composition, and atmosphere, and even lay the groundwork for future lunar missions.
“Made in India and designed for the Moon! The Chandrayaan-3 rover descended the lander’s stairway, and India set foot on the moon!” The Indian space agency made a post on X.
Scientists in the Isro control room revelled in the global acclaim that flooded in following Chandrayaan-3’s flawless touchdown at 6:03 p.m. IST on Wednesday, despite the fact that they were calibrating computers for experiments. The landing was made possible by the automated choreography of 12 large and small rocket engines, which were executed with clinical precision. It also comforted the nation following the 2019 accident of the previous version of the mooncraft.
Because they will confirm the presence of water at the lunar sough pole, the tests are anticipated to provide new opportunities for the country’s economical space programme in the lucrative market of space exploration and commerce. This breakthrough, if confirmed, could be crucial for resources related to drinking, breathing, and rocket propellant to advance human space exploration deeper into the solar system.
“The south polar region has the advantage of being less illuminated by the sun, and as a result, it has the potential to have a higher scientific content, including the retention of water beneath the subsurface,” said Somanath.
“We have chosen the most advantageous location possible. In the next fourteen days, the stage will be set for all future lunar space missions. Eventually, we may even send a man to the moon and establish colonies there,’ he continued.
Somanath explained that several factors were evaluated prior to the rover’s descent. Consequently, the lander’s wings opened at 10 p.m., whereas the rover’s rollout began around 1:45 a.m. on Thursday. Pragyan spent the majority of the day recharging its batteries via solar panels in preparation for its moonwalk.
“Before the rover can be launched, several factors must be taken into account. The first consideration is to examine the temperature levels, slope, and pollution. Before we could launch the rover, we had to address a number of initial issues,” Somanath explained.
Due to the sensitivity of the mission, a senior Isro scientist who wished to remain anonymous stated that the absence of an atmosphere and the low gravity on the moon made it take longer for lunar dust to settle. “Had we immediately rolled out the rover while it was still surrounded by a cloud of dust, the equipment could have been damaged,” the scientist explained.
Several hours after the lander landed on the moon, two sets of ramps were extended: first, the external ramp, and then a ramp to support the rover. A wire connection with the lander that was used to assure its stability prior to landing was also severed once the lander reached stable ground. According to scientists, it will now move forward to complete its mission objectives in the coming days.
Isro announced Thursday evening that three payloads on the Vikram lander module had been activated: Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA), and Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE). Additionally, the Pragyan rover’s mobility operations had begun.
ChaSTE will measure the thermal conductivity and temperature of the moon, ILSA will investigate the seismic activity surrounding the landing site, and RAMBHA will compile a plasma profile of the moon. “All activities are on schedule…all systems are normal,” the agency announced.
The experiments, according to Somanath, will provide the Indian space community with the opportunity to collect data that could influence humanity’s understanding of the lunar surface and its composition. “The landing site was selected due to the area’s potential for establishing colonies, which would eventually aid in space exploration beyond the moon,” he explained.
Pragyan is equipped with two spectrometers, which can analyse the composition of lunar surface samples.
Wednesday evening’s precise touchdown occurred just days after Russia, a space veteran, crashed its mooncraft while attempting to reach the same territory. Chandrayaan-3 was constructed at a fraction of the cost of not only previous American lunar missions but also summer box office hits Oppenheimer and Barbie.The cost of the Russian Luna-25 was $200 million.
“Congratulations, India,” posted Elon Musk, the proprietor of X. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, called Narendra Modi to offer his congratulations. Vice-president of the United States Kamala Harris posted on X, “It’s an incredible feat for all the scientists and engineers involved.” Thursday at the Brics summit in Johannesburg, Modi stated, “It is a matter of pride and a pat on the back for Indian scientists.”
The mission ushers in a new era for India’s relatively inexpensive space programme, which is closing in on milestones set by space powers such as the United States and the former Soviet Union, at a fraction of the cost — a testament to the abilities of the nation’s engineers and scientists, who have adapted indigenous technology and found novel ways to compensate.
ALSO READ : First lunar ‘flat’ landing site image from Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram Lander
Mastery of the technique to land spacecraft on the Moon will be essential for a nation to capture a portion of the burgeoning space exploration market — the next frontier for international economic and military intrusions. Additionally, it will strengthen India’s position in international space cooperation.
