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| A view of the moon as viewed by the Chandrayaan-3 lander during Lunar Orbit Insertion on August 5, 2023 in this screengrab from a video released on August 6, 2023. (Photo courtesy: ISRO/Handout via REUTERS) |
India's
space agency has unveiled captivating images of the moon captured by its
Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft during its approach to the uncharted lunar south pole,
an area believed to hold water ice.
Released on Friday, the footage showcases the moon's surface
in close-up detail, featuring craters and the moon's rotation. The Indian Space
Research Organization (ISRO) reported that the health of the Lander Module (LM)
is stable after a successful deboosting operation that adjusted its orbit to
113 km x 157 km.
The mission was set in motion on July 14 when India's space
agency launched the rocket carrying the spacecraft from the Satish Dhawan Space
Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The lander is programmed to attempt a touchdown on
August 23.
Russia, on the other hand, embarked on its first moon-landing
endeavor in 47 years on August 11 but has failed. Their aim was to directly
reach the lunar south pole, a region that holds water ice – a valuable resource
for potential future missions or a lunar settlement. The Russian mission, named
Luna-25, was anticipated to land on August 21, two days before India's
scheduled touchdown.
Navigating the rugged terrain of the lunar south pole poses a
challenge for successful landings. India's previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2,
faced a crash near the same area where Chandrayaan-3 seeks to land.
Chandrayaan, translating to "moon vehicle" in
Sanskrit, encompasses a 2-meter-tall lander designed to deploy a rover. This
rover is expected to conduct experiments over a two-week period.
Both India and Russia had a vested interest in achieving
successful moon landings and clinching the prestigious title of the first
nation to do so. For Russia, this mission was a testament to its autonomy in
space endeavors following the nation's strained relations with the West due to
the Ukraine conflict.
Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, outlined that the Luna-25
mission will spend around 5-7 days in lunar orbit before descending to one of
three potential landing sites near the pole but unfortunately it has crashed
before landing.
In India's case, a triumphant lunar landing would solidify
its status as a space power. This achievement coincides with Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's government's efforts to boost investment in private space
launches and satellite-based ventures. Since 2020, when India opened its doors
to private launches, the number of space startups in the country has surged.
Skyroot Aerospace, backed by investors including Singapore's GIC, launched
India's inaugural privately constructed rocket last year.
Although there is an undertone of competition between India and Russia, Indian officials have downplayed the rivalry, emphasizing that there is no direct contest between the two nations.
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