India is a South Asian nation and ranks fifth in the largest Gross Domestic Product among the nations. India recently became the fourth nation in the global race to successfully soft launch on the moon.

With the successful landing on August 23, 2023, of a spacecraft close to the south pole of the moon, India has accomplished a great accomplishment and established itself as a pioneer in this field. According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this accomplishment belongs to everyone, not just to India. On July 14, the satellite, known as Chandrayaan-3 or Mooncraft in Sanskrit, launched from a launch site in southern India.

The moon’s south pole remains virtually unexplored, and scientists think it may contain enormous stores of frozen water and precious components. This is why they are delighted about this accomplishment. Thanks to its successful landing, India is now at the forefront of space exploration and research. People from all around India flocked to watch the historic moon landing live broadcast in their homes, workplaces, retail establishments, and restaurants.

Chandrayaan-3’s successful mission demonstrates India’s space technological prowess and creates fresh opportunities for unraveling the mysteries of the moon’s south pole. Prime Minister Modi emphasizes the importance of this accomplishment on a global scale and that it is a human achievement. The pride and excitement in their nation’s scientific accomplishments on the international scale can be seen in the enthusiasm of the Indian people as they watched the event live.

What is a Soft Landing on the Moon?

A moon landing would be when a spacecraft delicately touches down on the lunar surface. It resembles the controlled landing of a unique vehicle on the Moon from Earth. Landings can take several distinct forms. Likewise, a soft landing occurs when the vehicle lands gently without breaking or harming itself.

Indians and people worldwide got more interested in Chandrayaan 3’s spectacular mission’s last leg as the moment for its gentle landing drew near. Around 6:04 PM IST on Wednesday, Chandrayaan 3, India’s major lunar mission gently touched down on the moon’s surface.

This type of landing involves more than simply descending abruptly. The spaceship slows down by pushing against the Moon’s gravity, similar to utilizing a parachute. The Lander module employs a unique method known as reverse thrust. It’s similar to utilizing an extremely strong fan to delay the fall and ensure a smooth landing like a feather. This Chandrayaan 3 project is fascinating because it represents a significant advancement in our knowledge of and exploration of the Moon.

Historic Moon Landing of India

Could there be a fresh rivalry arising for precious items on the Moon? An Indian spacecraft was placed on the Moon’s South Pole whereas a Russian mission had failed a few days before. This raises the question, “Why are so many nations suddenly interested in the Moon, given that humans first set foot there fifty years ago?”

The era of major conflicts between the United States and the former Soviet Union has ended. But a new competition to perform the greatest feats on the moon is now taking place. Not just Russia and India are competing in this race. There are several more participants in the race to the moon, including China, Japan, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Europe’s space agency.

However, the United States, Russia, China, and India were among the few nations to successfully make a lunar landing. They made use of objects that either fell and stayed or fell and shattered.

Timeline of Chandrayaan: India’s Moon Mission

India made great attempts to explore the Moon, as we can see by looking back. In 2008, Chandrayaan-1 adopted a novel strategy: rather than making a soft landing, it struck the Moon’s surface deliberately.

In 2019, Chandrayaan-2 had a risky plan: it would gently land its unique craft on the Moon. However, the landing, sadly, didn’t proceed as expected. However, the portion of the mission that circles the Moon continued to perform its function.

Fast forward to August 23, 2023. With Chandrayaan-3, India prepared for another lunar accomplishment. This time, the objective was to cautiously and softly touch down on the Moon’s South Pole, an intriguing and difficult-to-reach location.

On that Wednesday evening, at 6:04 IST, Chandrayaan-3, an ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) rocket, would launch its audacious effort. The Lander Module, which consists of the lander Vikram and the rover Pragyan, holds the possibility of a gentle lunar landing. In India’s quest for space research and discovery, it’s a huge milestone.

Countries That Have Soft-Landed on the Moon Successfully Beside India

Only three countries besides India, namely China, the United States of America, and Russia have accomplished anything really remarkable as of August 2023. India was successful in being fourth in the race to soft-land on the moon. Also, India is the first nation to ever set foot on the south pole of the moon, which is an awesome location to explore. Here are some fascinating facts about these nations and how they accomplished this amazing feat:

Russia, former Soviet Union: In 1959, Russia became the first nation to do a soft landing on the moon.

United States of America: Followed by the United States of America it made a soft landing on the moon in 1966, a little after Russia. Also not forget the United States of America has done it an astounding 11 times by 2022. More than any other nation has done. Furthermore, the United States of America has sent more people to the moon.

China: China became the first Asian nation to do a soft landing on the moon. In 2013, with the landing of Chang’e 3, China became a member of the club. Then, in 2019, China’s Chang’e 4 managed to make a gentle landing on the enigmatic dark side of the moon. This was an incredible first-time accomplishment.

Lastly, India also made their historic landing on the moon, becoming the second Asian nation and first country ever to do a soft landing on the south pole of the moon.

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