India successfully launched a rocket from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Friday, aiming to land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon. This marks India’s second endeavor to become the fourth nation to achieve a controlled landing on the lunar surface. Thousands of enthusiasts applauded as the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft took off, with Russia, the United States, and China being the only countries to have accomplished this feat so far. India’s previous attempt faced failure four years ago when contact was lost just before landing. If the mission proceeds according to plan, the Chandrayaan-3, meaning “Mooncraft” in Sanskrit, will touch down near the Moon’s little-explored south pole between August 23 and 24. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in France, expressed that the mission carries the hopes and dreams of the nation. Developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft consists of a lander named Vikram, which signifies “valour” in Sanskrit, and a rover named Pragyan, meaning “wisdom” in Sanskrit. Once landed, the rover will disembark from Vikram to explore the vicinity, capturing images to transmit back to Earth for analysis. The rover’s mission lifespan is set for one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days.
