India’s Chandrayaan-3 to attempt Moon landing

After a 40-day journey, India will attempt to land its spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s south pole this morning. The mission comes days after Russia’s failed attempt.

The objective of the mission is to achieve a soft landing on the satellite. In doing so, India will join a small and exclusive club of countries that have managed to land on the Moon without crashing.

In 2019, the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-2 crashed while attempting a soft landing on the Moon’s surface due to a technical glitch. However, this time scientists are optimistic.

Moon’s south pole is emerging as a compelling destination for countries because scientists believe the region has ice water. Researchers aim to use it to develop rocket fuels and solar panels. They also believe the proof of water will help with human settlements and research stations.