Top 8 Incredible Achievements Of Chandrayaan-3

 Chandrayaan-3 not only showcases ISRO's capabilities, but also unlocks opportunities for future space exploration projects

After several decades of Apollo 11's successful mission, there's renewed interest by many nations to explore the moon. There are multiple objectives such as establishing colonies, mining and using the moon as a launchpad to explore planets in the solar system. The moon can also provide clues to understanding the origin of the universe.

From the Indian context, a significant milestone in its moon mission was the success of Chandrayaan-3. The Indian space agency, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), successfully achieved the launch and soft-landing of the lunar lander (Vikram) and lunar rover (Pragyan). To understate its significance, let us take a look at some of the key achievements of Chandrayaan-3.

First touch down near lunar south pole - With Chandrayaan-3, India became the first country to successfully achieve a touch down on the moon's south pole. The landing point was 69°S, the southernmost lunar landing at that time. Exploring the moon's south pole is important because studies have shown the possibility of large amounts of ice. Water will be necessary to sustain long-term manned space programs to the moon.

Fourth space agency to land on moon - With Chandrayaan-3, ISRO became the fourth space agency in the world to land on the Moon. The other achievers are NASA, Russian space agency Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

First laser-based communication - Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander was equipped with a small NASA retroreflector. This was used to transfer laser beam signals from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This experiment provided details about the retroreflector's surface location.

First temperature data of Moon's south pole - The Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) equipment onboard Vikram lander measured the temperature profile of moon's south pole for the first time. Significant temperature variations were detected, which were different from what was normally estimated by the scientific community.

Presence of Sulfur confirmed - Using the laser-induced breakdown spectroscope (LIBS), the Pragyan rover successfully confirmed the presence of sulfur in the south pole of Moon. While it was known that the Moon south pole can have sulfur on the surface, it was confirmed for the first time by the Pragyan rover.

Various elements detected - The Pragyan rover also detected the presence of various other elements. It includes calcium, iron, aluminum, titanium, silicon, oxygen, manganese and chromium. Such discoveries are important because it will be useful for future manned missions to the moon.

Recording a moonquake - During the process of taking seismic measurements, a natural event was recorded. Scientists believe that the vibrations could have come from a moonquake. Such discoveries increase our understanding of the moon and its internal formations.

Cheaper than Hollywood movies - Apart from its technological prowess, ISRO is also known for its affordability. The Chandrayaan-3 mission cost only $74 million. In comparison, the budget of Hollywood movies such as Gravity, Interstellar and The Martian was above $100 million.

Going forward, ISRO has plans to further explore the moon. Chandrayaan-4 is the next project that aims to bring back lunar samples from the moon. Chandrayaan-4 is scheduled to take off in 2028. Another ambitious project is Gaganyaan, which will be India's first manned mission into space. Gaganyaan is planned for launch later this year or in 2025.