🚀 Landmark Launch Of Chandrayaan-3 Just A Good Night's Sleep Away

We are less than a day away from seeing the mighty LVM3 rocket lift off for the Moon carrying Chandrayaan-3.

The launch will mark the beginning of a truly exciting couple of months ahead for India. Here's why:

– India's second try at soft-landing on the Moon

India wasn't able to achieve controlled landing with its Chandrayaan-2 lander in 2019. Nearly four years later, it's time for lunar redemption.

Landing Vikram successfully on the lunar surface would make India only the fourth country ever to achieve a soft landing on the Moon.

Amid a lot of Moon landing wreckage in recent years, such as the Japanese Hakuto-R and Israeli Beresheet missions, Chandrayaan-3 would want to succeed.

– Landing where no one has

If India sticks the landing, it will become the first country to land in the vicinity of the Moon’s south pole; previous Moon missions landed at lower latitudes.

The south pole region is of particular interest because parts of it are permanently under shadow. A close-up view of some of the larger, shadowed craters in the area could possibly help scientists improve their understanding of the composition of the early Solar System.

Speaking of...

– Advance lunar science from up-close

There are seven scientific instruments on Chandrayaan-3 that will probe various facets of science on the Moon. The scientific possibilities are immense.

In the tradition of its predecessors, Chandrayaan-3 could help to advance lunar science in really significant ways.

– Let's roll out Pragyan on the Moon

Between the Soviet and US lunar missions of the early 1970s, five rovers were deployed across three years — the two Lunokhods and the three lunar roving vehicles, respectively.

Then, for about four decades, no rover went to the Moon. Finally, China put its Yutu rover in 2013 and, six years later, Yutu-2, as well.

That's pretty much it, as far as lunar rovers go. Pragyan would make a fine addition, wouldn't it?

Besides, poor Pragyan didn't even get the chance to do what it was asked last time.

– Chandrayaan-3 as a stepping stone

Success with Chandrayaan-3 will elevate India's might as a spacefaring nation. India will then be able to confidently set off on interplanetary missions in the future.

To all the excellent possibilities ahead, we say: Yes, please!

- Karan Kamble