Prepare to be amazed as Chandrayaan-3 makes history by landing at an astonishing 70 degrees of latitude south, marking the first mission to touch down at the captivating lunar South Pole. The region has captured the attention of space agencies worldwide due to the discovery of permanently shaded craters, where water ice has been detected from orbit. These craters, hidden from sunlight due to the Moon’s small tilt, are known as cold traps. Astonishingly, 60 percent of these cold traps are found beyond 80 degrees of latitude on the South Pole. This is precisely why the Artemis 3 mission plans to send humans there in the near future, but India will have the honor of exploring this uncharted territory first.
Landing on the Moon is an extraordinary feat, a true testament to human ingenuity. Despite the numerous successful missions, it remains a daring gamble. Just look at Russia’s Luna 25 crash landing, a stark reminder of the risks involved. Other attempts, such as Israel’s and the United Arab Emirates-Japan partnership, as well as India’s Chandrayaan-2 lander, have also faced setbacks. The Vikram rover encountered software and speed issues during descent, resulting in a crash landing.
However, the orbiter component of Chandrayaan-2 continues to carry out vital scientific observations around the Moon, capturing some of the most detailed images of the lunar surface to date. It has been an invaluable asset to this mission.
While the landing was a significant milestone, there are still challenges lying ahead. Being the first to venture into such high latitudes is a risky endeavor. The environment is harsher, adding to the already inhospitable lunar conditions. The terrain is rugged, sunlight is scarce, and temperatures can plummet to extreme lows. Nevertheless, the mission team is eagerly embracing these obstacles.
They will showcase the rover’s ability to navigate the Moon’s surface, followed by conducting experiments on the lunar soil with the lander and rover. The objective is to operate for a minimum of 14 Earth days (equivalent to a full lunar day), with the orbiter continuing its work for at least six months. If all goes according to plan, these targets will undoubtedly be surpassed.
Among the experiments, they will analyze the composition of the lunar surface, determine the amount of ice present in the lunar soil, and gain a deeper understanding of the Moon’s ever-evolving tenuous atmosphere.
