India is preparing for its second attempt at landing a rover on the Moon’s surface, with the Chandrayaan-3 mission. This historic event is set to take place near the Moon’s south pole, which is an attractive destination for future exploration and potential settlement.
The landing is scheduled for August 23, 1230 UTC (8:30 AM EDT, 6:00 PM IST), with the livestream beginning 40 minutes before that time.
This attempt follows Russia’s recent lunar mission failure in the same region. India’s previous lunar mission also faced challenges when they lost contact with the lander in 2019. However, the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter remains operational and connected to the lander.
If Chandrayaan-3’s lander successfully reaches the Moon’s surface, it could mark a significant step in lunar exploration. The mission aims to investigate the presence of ice in the lunar south pole region, potentially reducing the need to transport resources from Earth.
A rover named Pragyan will collect 3D data, map elements, and analyze geology conductivity in this area.
