Eclipsing challenges: The inspiring victory of Chandrayaan-3

On August 23rd, 2023, a date every Indian will remember for a long time, India created history by becoming the first country in the world to land on the lunar south pole. The success of Chandrayaan-3 is truly remarkable, as this mission marks a significant milestone in India’s journey to the moon and pioneers a new era of lunar exploration. With the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, India also entered the elite club of nations, joining the USA, Russia, and China in successfully landing on the moon. India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), once again showcased its remarkable prowess in space exploration with the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Chandrayaan-3 lifted off on July 14th, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, aims to demonstrate end-to-end capabilities in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander Module (LM), Propulsion Module (PM), and a Rover with the objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for interplanetary missions. The Lander, named ‘Vikram’, and the Rover, named ‘Pragyaan’, have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface.

Learning from challenges

It is often said that a comeback is greater than a setback. Chandrayaan-3 truly exemplifies this adage. Coming after four years of Chandrayaan-2 narrowly missing a lunar landing by a paltry 2.1 km, this success is particularly sweeter. The team working on Chandrayaan-3 built upon the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2 and used these learnings to mitigate risks and improve its capabilities in every aspect of development, launch, and operation.

Right from designing to stationing in the right orbit, navigating the long journey, entering the moon’s orbit, maintaining communication with international partners, monitoring the health of the lander, and finally the soft landing, the team had multiple challenges to counter. And counter they did, with great precision. The success of Chandrayaan-3 underscores ISRO’s expertise in system engineering and India’s technological advancements in space exploration, as it required the integration of complex systems such as the launch vehicle, lander, rover, and ground control.

Setting an example

One of the standout features of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is its cost-effectiveness. It is estimated that the entire mission cost US$75 million, nearly Rs 615 crore, which is massively lower than the budgets of many space-themed Hollywood movies such as Avatar, which cost US$ 237 million, Interstellar, which cost US$165 million, and The Martian, which cost US$108 million, and Gravity made at a budget of US$100 million. ISRO’s commitment to cost-effectiveness has been a hallmark of its missions. Chandrayaan-3’s success demonstrates how India has been able to achieve significant milestones in space exploration without breaking the bank.

ISRO also did a remarkable job of engaging the public by sharing regular updates on the mission’s progress and inspiring a sense of national pride. The final touchdown process was streamed live on ISRO’s YouTube channel, which grossed the highest-ever viewership of a live event, with more than 8 million viewers.

Benefiting a wide range of industries

Now that ‘Pragyan’, the rover, has started its mission activities, the scientific community around the globe stands to benefit from these findings. The data collected from the lunar surface will contribute to humanity’s understanding of the moon’s evolution. Open data sharing will provide valuable insights into the Moon’s geology, composition, and history, which will inform future scientific developments, potential discoveries, and support more sustainable and comprehensive research.

The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission will provide a solid foundation for ISRO’s upcoming endeavours, such as Aditya L1 (the solar mission), Gaganyaan (Indian human spaceflight program), Shukrayaan-1 (Venus orbiter mission), and beyond. It will also lead to advancements and innovations that will benefit a wide range of industries and applications beyond space exploration, which can drive economic growth. These may include remote sensing, autonomous navigation systems, advanced robotics, deep-sea exploration, nuclear facilities, energy-efficient systems, renewable energy, communication systems, and innovations in the miniaturisation of instruments, among several others.

The advancements made in space exploration technologies could have implications for the emerging field of space tourism and the growth of commercial space ventures, as Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi observed, that in the future the moon may just be one tour away!

Chandrayaan-3 is a great example of responsible lunar exploration that involves a balance between scientific discovery, technological innovation, international cooperation, and lunar environmental preservation. It has not only cemented India’s growing stature in the global space community but has also succeeded in inspiring young minds in India to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, which can help produce a stronger talent pool and workforce in these areas.

Continue to reach for the stars

The triumph of India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is a testament to ISRO’s dedication, expertise, and vision for space exploration. This achievement not only advances our scientific understanding of the Moon but also serves as a source of national pride and inspiration for the global space community. As India continues to reach for the stars, the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission will be remembered as a pivotal moment in its journey of space exploration.