Barely a month after its launch, the Chandrayaan-3 lunar probe has landed in the south pole of the moon. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft launched on 14th July and touched down on the lunar surface around 12 WAT. The first time such an endeavor has been achieved more so by a country tagged as a member of the global south. As stated by the Indian Prime Minister in his widely televised broadcast, this achievement is not just for the 1.4 billion people who call India home but rather a triumph for all of humanity especially those from emerging economies. “This success belongs to all of humanity,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tuned in to the livestream of the landing from South Africa’s Johannesburg, where he attended the 15th BRICS summit of emerging markets.
In the over 70 years of space exploration, many may not know the success achieved by India makes it only the 4th nation in the history of mankind to achieve a soft landing of a vehicle on the lunar surface. Other countries that have overcome this challenge include the United States of America, China, and the former Soviet Union. This certainly would cement India’s position as a global technological superpower.
Overall this achievement as challenging as it could be on the south pole of the moon would be discussed at dinner tables among family members for decades to come.
India has also done more with less than its top global counterparts, with ISRO’s annual budget a fraction of NASA’s. In 2020, ISRO estimated the Chandrayaan-3 mission would cost about $75 million. The Covid pandemic delayed the Chandrayaan-3 mission from launching in 2021.
