From our Leader of Digital Edition dated September 1, 2023
Venkat Raman
Auckland, September 1, 2023
India scored yet another remarkable feat on August 23, 2023 when its indigenously built spacecraft Chandrayaan 3 landed on the Moon to the delight of more than a billion Indians and many more across the world.
The spacecraft Vikram Lander touched down on the lunar soil near the Lunar South Pole carrying a rover in its belly, becoming the first to do so. Several hours later, the Rover, called Pragyaan (Wisdom) left the lander and took its first steps on the Moon.
India became the fourth country in the world to place its imprint on the Moon, after the (former) Soviet Union, the United States of America and China.
The world applauded the success of the mission into space and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking from Johannesburg, where he was attending the summit of BRICS leaders, dedicated to humanity, reiterating India’s belief in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family).
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which built, commissioned and launched Chandrayaan 3 has been studying the images and data sent by the spacecraft through its specially equipped laser detectors and other elements. As well as taking measurements on the elemental composition of the surface near the south pole it found a host of chemicals, including sulphur and oxygen on lunar soil.
The information gathered has confirmed the presence of sulphur aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon and oxygen.
As the rover roams around the mission’s landing point now named the Shiv Shakti Point in what ISRO has described as “the pursuit of lunar secrets,” it has covered quite a distance. It has also had to change course to stay safe because of deep craters.
Noah Petro, a Project Scientist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) told BBC News that it has been known since the 1970s (from the Apollo and Luna samples) that sulphur is present in the lunar soil.
But he described Pragyaan’s findings as “a tremendous accomplishment.”
“I think ISRO is highlighting that it is in-situ – so it is important to have measured sulphur on the lunar surface. Sulphur is a volatile element if it is not inside a mineral. If it is not part of a crystal, it is very cool to see and is measured on the surface,” he said.
Two days after the landing, ISRO said that Pragyaan, which travels at a speed of 1 cm per second had successfully traversed a distance of 8 metres (26 feet).
The Moon in the Scriptures
Moon, known as Chandra in many Indian languages, is a Lunar Deity, worshipped as one of the nine planets (Navagrahas) in Hinduism. Chandra is synonymously referred to as Soma. Other names include Indu (Bright Drop), Atrisuta (son of Atri), Sachin (marked by hare), Taradhipa (Lord of Stars) and Nishakara (the Night Maker).
Chandra is described as young and beautiful, two-armed and carrying a club and a lotus.
Hindus believe that he is the father of Budha (Mercury) and was married to the 27 daughters of Daksha, after whom the Nakshatras in Hindu astrology are named.
Chandra is the basis of Somvaar (Monday) in the Hindu calendar.
The Journey into Space
India’s journey into space exploration began with small steps in the late 1960s and has since evolved into a fully-fledged space programme, with ISRO as the pioneer.
India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1975. The real breakthrough came in 1980 when ISRO successfully launched Rohini, its first indigenously developed satellite into orbit using the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). This was a significant achievement, marking India’s entry into the select group of nations capable of launching their own satellites.
Over the years, India has developed a range of satellites serving different purposes. The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system, launched in the 1980s, revolutionised communications, meteorology, and broadcasting in India. The Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites have been instrumental in managing natural resources and monitoring environmental factors.
