Isro - Blog Posts

[Wednesday, 23 August 2023]

Today India made its first soft landing on the moon's south pole.

I was watching the landing live on YouTube like millions of other Indians and maybe non-indians too. The last minute of landing was more nerve racking than anything, considering it was India's 3rd attempt in doing so. But finally we did it thanks to the hardwork and dedication of all the scientists at ISRO and many others who helped behind the scenes. Dr. Homi Bhabha, Dr. Sarabhai, Dr. Kalam and many others who had this far fetched vision of Indian space research would be so proud right now, seeing how it is all coming together like clockwork.

India is the 4th country to achieve a soft landing on the moon after the USA, Russia and China and the first one to do so on the moon's south pole. Just like its name a soft landing refers to landing the craft gently on the moon's surface with a speed of about 2 meters per second, which is actually not an easy feat because of the moon's rough terrain. The terrain is still a lot better near the lunar equator, where the aforementioned countries achieved soft landing unlike India which did so at the south pole having hell-like terrains with all the bumps and craters, little to no sunlight, and temperatures going as down as -215°C. One of the main reasons India was eager to reach the south pole is the lack of information about it and the possibility of millions of years old ice present there. The chandrayan 2 craft present there has also detected some hydroxyl(OH) there. Hope this endeavour makes a "giant leap for mankind"!

And genuinely hoping to be a part of such a project in the coming years! Please do remember me in your prayers.

Signing off

User_liztical

Mangalyaan ("Mars-craft") | Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)

Destination: Mars

India is now well on its way to having an interplanetary presence. The country has successfully launched the Mars Orbiter Mission, a reconnaissance satellite that will orbit the Martian atmosphere for elusive chemicals.

The integration of the five scientific instruments was completed at ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore, and the finished spacecraft was successfully launched from Sriharikotta on 5 November 2013.

India's space agency would be just the fourth to reach the planet -- a symbolic win over countries like China, whose interplanetary missions have fallen short.