India’s Chandrayaan-3 rover lands on moon, prepares for fresh obstacles.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 Rover Begins Lunar Exploration

By YP⁤ Rajesh and Sakshi ​Dayal

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The moon rover of India’s Chandrayaan-3 has embarked on‍ an​ exciting journey to explore the surface of the lunar south pole and conduct groundbreaking experiments, according to the space agency chief.

The spacecraft successfully landed on the unexplored south ‌pole of the ​moon, making India the first country to achieve this remarkable⁣ feat, surpassing Russia’s recent failed attempt.

The flawless⁣ touchdown of the lander, following a previous unsuccessful attempt in 2019, has sparked immense joy and celebration in India, with the media hailing it ⁤as the nation’s greatest scientific achievement.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S. Somanath expressed confidence in ‍the condition of the lander and rover, ‍stating⁣ that “both are working very well,” although the experiments ‌are yet to commence.

“All activities are ‌on schedule. All systems are normal,” ISRO posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Rover mobility operations have commenced.”

The rover, named “Pragyan,” is equipped with two instruments for​ conducting element and chemical composition ​experiments, as well as a robotic path planning exercise for future exploration.

Chandrayaan, meaning “moon vehicle” in Hindi and Sanskrit, is ‌expected to remain operational for two weeks, or one lunar day, which⁤ is the duration its solar-powered ​equipment is designed to last.

Possible Challenges

Somanath highlighted the potential challenges⁢ that ISRO may encounter on the moon’s surface, particularly​ with regards to lunar dust and⁤ extreme temperatures that could impact the rover’s⁤ moving ‍parts.

“The mechanisms, the moving items…can get entangled ⁤with the dust there. It can‌ get into‍ the moving parts and jam them, the bearings of the system may not work, the motors ‌may not work,” he explained.

Lunar dust differs from the ⁢dust found on Earth, and in the absence of air on the moon, it could adhere to the rover’s ‍materials, affecting its operation.

“All this creates problems in those mechanisms…so let us see how it goes,” the scientist said. “We will face it…that’s why we are exploring. If everything is known, what is the fun in doing it?”

Accomplished with a budget of about‍ 6.15 ⁣billion rupees ($75 million), this marks India’s second attempt⁣ to land on the moon. The​ previous mission, Chandrayaan-2, successfully deployed an orbiter but experienced a ⁣crash landing.

The moon’s rugged south‍ pole is of great interest due to its potential reserves of water ice, which ​could serve as a ⁤valuable resource for future missions in terms of fuel, oxygen, and ⁢drinking water. However,‌ the challenging terrain makes landing a complex ​endeavor.

Celebrations

The entire ‍nation‌ eagerly watched the landing, with nearly 7 million people tuning in to the YouTube ‍live stream alone.

Prayers were held at places of worship, and schools organized live screenings for students to witness this historic moment.

In addition ‍to⁣ elevating India’s status‌ as‍ a space power ​and its reputation ‌for cost-effective space engineering, the successful landing is a source of immense national pride.

Prime Minister ‌Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude for the congratulatory messages he received, emphasizing that the achievement belongs to all of humanity, ​not just one country.

“It is a matter of⁢ pride and a pat on the back for Indian scientists,” Modi said at the BRICS summit in ⁣Johannesburg on Thursday.

Indian​ newspapers featured⁤ banner headlines such as “The Moon is Indian,”‍ “India Goes Where No ‍Nation’s Gone Before,”​ and “India Lights Up⁣ the ‌Dark Side‍ of the Moon,” highlighting the significance of this lunar ⁣landing.

“Lunar landing is the most significant Indian scientific achievement,” the Times of India stated in an editorial.

($1 =‌ 82.4610 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by YP Rajesh and Sakshi Dayal; Editing ⁢by Gerry ⁤Doyle, ​Toby Chopra and Bernadette Baum)

This week⁢ has been filled With⁣ major headlines in the U.S. and around the world. One America’s Rachel Acenas⁣ has ⁢more in our Week In Review.

Dr. Tabia Lee, a black diversity equity inclusion⁤ director at a California college, says she was recently fired for asking questions.

U.S. District Judge ⁤Tanya Chutkan is holding a hearing on Monday,⁢ August 28th to determine a trial date in former President Trump’s D.C. case.

Temecula ‌Valley Unified School District, the third school district in the state, has passed a policy that will notify parents if their child ​identifies as transgender,  requests to be called by different pronouns and wants to ⁣use a different bathroom.

STOCKHOLM‍ (Reuters) -⁣ Sweden’s Ericsson predicted on Friday intellectual ⁢property rights ⁣(IPR) licensing income of 11 billion Swedish ⁣crowns ($1 billion) this year…

By Hannah Lang (Reuters) – Cryptocurrency ⁤brokers,⁢ including exchanges and payment processors, would have to report​ new information on users’ sales and exchanges…

By Hannah Lang (Reuters) – Cryptocurrency brokers, including ​exchanges and payment processors, would have to report new⁣ information on users’ sales and…

By Aditi Shah, Aditya ‍Kalra and Nikunj Ohri NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India is working on a new electric vehicle policy that would…