Iqball Ahmad
India has achieved the status of a global superpower by becoming the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon. This remarkable journey began in 2008 when a small Indian probe, hurtling from above, crashed onto the lunar surface. During its 25-minute flight, it made a groundbreaking discovery – the presence of water signatures.
Almost 15 years after this deliberate crash, India achieved another significant milestone with the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on Wednesday. This accomplishment arrives nearly four years after its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, faced a crash during the landing attempt. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) team and the entire nation shared the pain of that moment.
Moment of glory for entire country
The recent achievement was a moment of glory for the entire country. At the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru, officials erupted into applause as the Vikram lander initiated its powered vertical descent towards the landing site.
“India has set foot on the moon!” exclaimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was attending the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg. He watched the live telecast and, as soon as the touchdown occurred, a broad smile spread across his face as he waved the Tricolour.
The countdown of the Vikram lander hovered at 150 meters, then 130 meters, and further decelerated as it approached the moon’s surface. It finally touched down, marking a monumental achievement.
“Thanks to everyone for your prayers, excitement, and love for the nation. This success is dedicated to all of you. Our next mission is Gaganyaan (human space flight). We are aiming for a launch in September or the first week of October,” stated ISRO chief S Somnath.
The successful landing of the Vikram lander has stirred up a considerable amount of fine dust. The rover Pragyan will only be deployed after this dust has dissipated, a process that might take up to three hours. Unlike Earth, the dust on the Moon doesn’t settle as easily due to its lower gravitational pull.
The complex landing process
The moon lander was launched on July 14 atop an LVM 3 heavy-lift launch vehicle. It was inserted into lunar orbit on August 5. The challenging soft landing was preceded by delicate maneuvers, often referred to as “20 minutes of terror” by scientists.
The lander, propelled by four engines, disabled two to reduce speed over the final 30 kilometers. It then executed the complex transition from a horizontal to vertical position for touchdown, a process that had gone awry during Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.
As India accomplished the successful lunar landing on Wednesday near the Moon’s south pole, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Atomic Energy, and Space, Jitendra Singh, conveyed that the country has physically reached the Moon, an achievement that the rest of the world can only fantasize about.
Speaking to reporters, the minister expressed that India is transforming dreams into reality, a feat that the rest of the world merely envisions. The entire nation takes immense pride in India’s conquest of the Moon. With this achievement, India undoubtedly establishes itself as a global superpower, sending a resounding message to its neighbors and the world, highlighting India’s leadership in humanity’s pursuit of exploration.
