The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the most complex lunar expedition riddled with multiple challenges, is a monumental moment for India’s space research community and demonstrates its technological prowess to the world. The last and the most difficult phase of the mission – soft-landing of the spacecraft’s lander module on the moon’s surface – has been accomplished flawlessly. The feat is particularly significant because a similar mission by Russia failed just a couple of days ago when its ‘Luna-25’ went out of control in the landing stage and crashed into the moon’s surface. This failed Russian mission heightened the tension in India as scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) prepared for the final de-boosting operations and waited with bated breath for the descent of the landing module, comprising the lander ‘Vikram’ and rover ‘Pragyan’.
The achievement, which came after some anxious moments, is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of the scientists at ISRO which has overcome many odds to earn its rightful place on the high table of the global space club. India becomes the fourth country in the world, after the United States, Russia and China, to soft-land spacecraft on the lunar surface and the first to land on the South Pole.
India’s previous attempt in September 2019 – Chandrayaan-2 – ended in failure as the lander crashed into the moon’s surface. Learning lessons from the past failure, the ISRO made some improvements in the design and incorporated several safety features this time. The ISRO deserves more support in the form of funding from the government. If properly supported they can work wonders and beat anyone in this field.