Bengal's brilliant mind shines behind flawless lunar landing

India’s most recent lunar expedition, Chandrayaan 3, etched its name in history by achieving a flawless landing on the lunar terrain at 6:04 pm on 23 August. 

- ANWESHA SANTRA

Marking a significant achievement, the Lander executed a seamless ‘soft landing’ on the south pole of the Moon, making India the sole nation to accomplish this feat. Subsequently, a rover—an agile vehicle designed for movement across the lunar surface—emerged from the Lander.

According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the mission’s three objectives were to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, to demonstrate a Rover roving on the Moon and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments. Soft landing simply means landing at a gentle, controlled speed to not sustain damage to a spacecraft.

All prior spacecraft that successfully touched down on the Moon chose landing sites near its equator, primarily due to the ease and safety associated with this choice. These regions offer terrain and temperatures that are more favourable for extended instrument operations. Moreover, the presence of sunlight provides a consistent source of energy for solar-powered instruments.

Conversely, the lunar polar regions pose unique challenges. Numerous areas within these regions reside in perpetual darkness, devoid of sunlight, and temperatures can plummet to below -230 degrees Celsius. These extreme conditions complicate instrument operations. Additionally, the presence of large craters further adds to the complexity of exploration in these areas.