12 people have been to the moon. All were Americans, and that troubles other great powers in the world. Therefore, we are now in a new moon race.
This time it is not about taking a “giant leap for mankind” (Neil Armstrong, 1969), but about landing an unmanned vessel on the planet’s southern hemisphere.
Russia tried on Sunday but crashed. This afternoon it was India’s turn.
A little over 2:30 p.m., “Chandrayaan-3” landed on the moon as planned, after a few nerve-wracking minutes. There was applause in the control room in Bengaluru as the craft approached the lunar landing area.
There was a great atmosphere in Bengaluru when «Chandrayaan-3» landed.
Photo: Aijaz Rahi / AP / NTB
Prime Minister Narendra Modi watched on the big screen and waved the Indian flag after the successful landing.
– I want to say to people all over the world, in all countries, that India’s successful journey to the moon is not India’s alone. This belongs to all humanity, Modi said in a speech after the landing.
There has been moon fever in India lately.
Photo: AMIT DAVE / Reuters / NTB
There has been moon fever in India lately.
Photo: R. SATISH BABU / AFP / NTB
There has been moon fever in India lately.
Photo: Rajanish Kakade / AP / NTB
There has been moon fever in India lately.
Photo: SAM PANTHAKY / AFP / NTB
Russian decline
The failed attempt by Russia was the country’s first lunar mission in almost 50 years. “Luna-25” was supposed to land on the southern hemisphere of the moon, in the polar region.
The plan for “Luna-25” was, among other things, to look for frozen water, where traces of ice have been observed in craters and also to carry out a number of investigations of the ground conditions there.
– This ice can be an important resource for further discovery, says Arvid Bertheau Johannessen at the Norwegian Space Centre.
Water can be a resource that can be used to produce oxygen and fuel.
– Fuel that can be used on journeys back to Earth, or further into the solar system to other plants, such as Mars, says Johannessen.
It was a Russian space defeat on Sunday, when “Luna-25” lost control and crashed into the moon.
Photo: AP
Prestige projects
Previously, only the Soviet Union, the United States and China managed to carry out controlled landings on the moon. India, Israel and Japan have had several failed attempts.
Although the Americans landed on the moon with humans on board over 50 years ago, it is a very complicated process to carry out a successful landing there.
In addition to the equipment having to work perfectly, the timing has to hit the spot.
And although there is a lot of curiosity and research opportunities in the projects, there is no doubt that there is also a large portion of prestige that drives the great powers.
2023-08-23 11:59:47
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