National Space Day

National Space Day – India’s Leap to the Lunar South Pole

August 23, 2023, will forever remain etched in the history of Indian science and technology. On this day, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a feat that placed India among the foremost spacefaring nations in the world. With the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the unexplored south polar region of the Moon, India not only became the first country to touch down near this difficult terrain but also demonstrated the capacity of low-cost, high-efficiency engineering in planetary exploration.

This day is now celebrated as National Space Day, symbolizing India’s scientific ambition, technological innovation, and relentless pursuit of knowledge.

The Science Behind Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 was designed as a follow-up to Chandrayaan-2, with a clear emphasis on ensuring a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface. The mission consisted of:

Vikram Lander – equipped with advanced guidance, navigation, hazard detection, and throttleable engines for precision landing.
Pragyan Rover – a six-wheeled robotic explorer carrying instruments to study the Moon’s chemical and mineral composition.
Propulsion Module – used to transfer the lander from Earth’s orbit to the lunar orbit and carried an experiment to study Earth’s atmosphere from lunar distance.

The south polar region of the Moon was chosen because it contains Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) that have never been exposed to sunlight. These PSRs are believed to hold frozen water ice and volatiles—resources critical for future lunar colonization, deep space missions, and understanding the early history of the solar system.

Key Scientific Objectives

The instruments onboard were tasked with multiple experiments, such as:

LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope): Identified the presence of sulphur, aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, oxygen and other elements, confirming the Moon’s complex geology.
APXS (Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer): Measured the chemical composition of rocks and soil.
ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment): Measured temperature variations on the Moon’s surface, finding that temperatures plunged to nearly –10°C just a few millimeters below the surface, contrary to earlier assumptions.
ILSA (Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity): Recorded lunar “quakes,” providing data about the Moon’s crust and mantle.
LP (Langmuir Probe): Studied the plasma environment around the Moon.

Facts & Figures that Define the Mission

Mission Cost: ₹615 crore (approx. $75 million), making it one of the most economical lunar missions in history.
Landing Site: Between Manzinus C and Boguslawsky craters, close to the lunar south pole.
Rover Speed: Just 1 cm per second to ensure safety in navigating rocky terrain.
Mission Duration: 14 Earth days (1 lunar day), during which the lander and rover operated successfully.
Live Viewership: Over 80 lakh students across India watched the landing, igniting nationwide interest in space science.
Global Impact: NASA, ESA, and other agencies hailed Chandrayaan-3 as a milestone, boosting India’s credibility in international space collaborations.

Why Chandrayaan-3 Matters

Exploring Water Ice: The presence of frozen water in shadowed craters could support human settlements, provide fuel (hydrogen + oxygen), and enable sustainable lunar exploration.
Lunar Geology Insights: By analyzing soil and rocks, Chandrayaan-3 helps us reconstruct the Moon’s volcanic and tectonic history.
Space Economy Leadership: The cost-effectiveness of Chandrayaan-3 showcases India’s unique model of doing “more with less,” a lesson for the global space industry.
Inspiration for Youth: The mission triggered massive interest among school and college students, paving the way for the next generation of scientists, engineers, and astronauts.