India’s space agency, ISRO, has unveiled the first images captured by the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which recently entered lunar orbit. The images showcase the lunar surface, with craters appearing larger as the spacecraft gets closer. The lander and rover of Chandrayaan-3 are set to make a “soft landing” near the Moon’s south pole on August 23. If successful, India will become the fourth country to achieve such a feat after the US, the former Soviet Union, and China.
Chandrayaan-3’s journey began with its launch from Earth, followed by ten days of orbiting before it was sent into the translunar orbit. Finally, on Saturday, it successfully entered lunar orbit. India’s space agency confirmed that all systems are functioning well, marking the third consecutive successful insertion of a spacecraft into lunar orbit by ISRO.
The upcoming soft landing on the Moon’s south pole will continue India’s lunar exploration program, building on the success of previous missions. Chandrayaan-2, launched in 2019, confirmed the presence of water molecules on the Moon’s surface and established the presence of an atmosphere during daytime. With Chandrayaan-3, scientists aim to gather critical data and images from the Moon’s surface to gain insights into its physical characteristics, tectonic activity, and atmosphere.
The south pole of the Moon remains relatively unexplored, offering the potential for new discoveries. Once Chandrayaan-3 lands, the six-wheeled rover, named Pragyaan, will roam the lunar surface, sending back valuable data and images for analysis. As India looks to achieve this historic milestone, the nation’s space agency remains hopeful for groundbreaking findings that could shape our understanding of the Moon and its unique features.
