India And Isro On The Moon
The India Commentary view
View all posts by this Author
By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2023-08-24 04:02:33
About the Author
The India Commentary view
View all posts by this Author
The continuous and dedicated efforts of the brilliant scientists and engineers at Isro bore fruit on Wednesday as India become the first nation to achieve a soft landing in southern polar region of the moon and only the fourth country, after the US, Russia and China, to make such a landing anywhere on the moon. It is a testimony to India's pre-eminent position in space research, supported by successive governments since the 1960's and the brilliance of its scientists and engineers that Chandrayaan-3 had a copybook journey to the moon and the landing was executed with extraordinary precision.
Isro's successful mission will be closely watched worldwide because the southern polar region has been identified by other countries as the preferred region for future human missions. Since Vikram and its rover Pragyan carry sophisticated scientific payload for extensive exploration of the region and since they are designed to be operative for one lunar day (equal to 14 days on earth), all data sent back by them will be deeply examined and will prove helpful in conducting future human missions.
Space exploration has increasingly become a matter of collaboration. In India's Chandrayaan-3 mission, the Isro scientists and engineers have been supported by both Nasa and ESA. Sharing of data makes future expeditions more exciting, less risky and definitely less expensive. Isro's grand success will attract scientific talent to space research while giving an overall boost to Indian science. It will also spur private entrepreneurs to invest in space research and technology and funding for start-ups in the field should not be a problem. Isro has always been a pioneer and its lead will be followed by new-age entrepreneurs that will help India scale greater heights in space technology.
pic courtesy: Isro on X
