{"id":17268,"date":"2023-08-24T00:57:44","date_gmt":"2023-08-23T16:57:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/indias-robotic-lander-touches-down-on-the-moon-lifting-spirits-at-home-and-abroad\/"},"modified":"2023-08-24T00:57:44","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T16:57:44","slug":"indias-robotic-lander-touches-down-on-the-moon-lifting-spirits-at-home-and-abroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/indias-robotic-lander-touches-down-on-the-moon-lifting-spirits-at-home-and-abroad\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s robotic lander touches down on the moon, lifting spirits at home and abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full-width\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"630\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/moon-india2-630x355.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-787177\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/moon-india2-630x355.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/moon-india2-1260x710.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/moon-india2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/moon-india2-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/moon-india2.jpg 1877w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">Indian mission controllers cheer the successful touchdown of the Vikram lunar lander. (ISRO via YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A robotic Indian lander set down safely on the moon today, setting off a wave of pride that reached from Mission Control in Bengaluru to Seattle\u2019s tech community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIndia is now on the moon,\u201d Prime Minister Narendra Modi said over a video link moments after the landing at 6:03 p.m. Indian Standard Time (5:33 a.m. PT). He went on to say that \u201cthis success belongs to all humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A roomful of mission controllers in Bengaluru cheered when the landing was confirmed at the end of a six-week-long space odyssey. \u201cThis will remain the most memorable and happiest moment for all of us,\u201d said Kalpana Kalahasti, associate project director for the Chandrayaan-3 mission at the Indian Space Research Organization.<\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s touchdown added India to an exclusive club of moon-landing nations that also includes the U.S., Russia and China. India\u2019s Vikram lander is the first robotic probe to visit the moon\u2019s south polar region, which is thought to be prime territory for human exploration and settlement.<\/p>\n<p>Soon after the landing, Vikram sent back an image showing its surroundings \u2014 including one of the lander\u2019s legs and its shadow:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1694376945340080398&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2023%2Findia-robotic-lander-moon-chandrayaan%2F&amp;sessionId=d705b46cc212c5506bfe7475951e476338f67da5&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1694376945340080398\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782799409566852907=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Chandrayaan-3 Mission: <br \/>The image captured by the <br \/>Landing Imager Camera <br \/>after the landing.<\/p>\n<p>It shows a portion of Chandrayaan-3&#8217;s landing site. Seen also is a leg and its accompanying shadow. <\/p>\n<p>Chandrayaan-3 chose a relatively flat region on the lunar surface \ud83d\ude42\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/xi7RVz5UvW<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The lander also returned imagery showing the deployment of its Pragyan rover, which sparked a fresh round of cheers at Mission Control:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1694385505473818934&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2023%2Findia-robotic-lander-moon-chandrayaan%2F&amp;sessionId=d705b46cc212c5506bfe7475951e476338f67da5&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1694385505473818934\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782799409566852907=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">CHANDRAYAAN 3 ROVER GETTING DEPLOYED\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf3!!!! pic.twitter.com\/pwJ9bxaCVD<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Gaganyaan (@Gaganyaan_) August 23, 2023<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Chandrayaan-3 is designed to study the composition of lunar soil as well as the thermal and seismic environment at the landing site, using instruments aboard the Vikram lander as well as the Pragyan rover. Scientists hope the data will shed light on the availability of water ice near the lunar south pole.<\/p>\n<p>But today, the scientific angle was overshadowed by the boost to India\u2019s national prestige. The elation that Indians felt was particularly high \u2014 coming four years after the Chandrayaan-2 mission\u2019s lander crashed into the lunar surface, and four days after Russia\u2019s Luna-25 lander met a similarly ignominious fate.<\/p>\n<p>One of Chandrayaan-3\u2019s fans is Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in Hyderabad, India, and came to the United States more than 30 years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat an exciting moment for India \u2014 and the future of space exploration,\u201d Nadella said in a congratulatory post on X \/ Twitter.<\/p>\n<p>S. Somasegar, a managing director at Seattle-based Madrona Group, passed along his congratulations as well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is proud moment and another huge step forward as far as advances in science and space go.&nbsp; I am sure every Indian, and for that matter, everybody in the world is genuinely excited when we make significant progress and do something which hasn\u2019t happened before,\u201d Soma, who traces his roots to the Indian coastal city of Puducherry, told GeekWire in an email. \u201cISRO has had a fantastic track record of making space-related scientific breakthroughs in a cost-effective way, and this is another example of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Samir Bodas, CEO and co-founder of Bellevue, Wash.-based Icertis, told GeekWire in an email that India\u2019s success in space resonated deeply with him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs an entrepreneur, I\u2019m always inspired by great achievements like the Chandrayaan-3 moon landing,\u201d said Bodas, who grew up in Pune and still has family there. \u201cAs someone with deep ties to India, I\u2019m thrilled and overjoyed to experience this moment of great pride and celebration for all Indians.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Why India and Russia Were Racing to the Moon\u2019s South Pole | WSJ\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9ej7ehxvgps?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p>This year is a big one for robotic moon missions: In addition to the failed Russian landing and the successful Indian landing, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is due to launch its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, as early as this weekend.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, two commercial U.S. probes are being readied for launch with NASA\u2019s backing. Houston-based Intuitive Machines says its IM-1 lunar lander could begin its mission as early as Nov. 15 with a launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. And Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic says its Peregrine lander is ready to head for the moon with a boost from United Launch Alliance\u2019s Vulcan Centaur rocket, currently set for its first liftoff late this year.<\/p>\n<p>Both of those missions will target the lunar south polar region, where reserves of water ice in permanently shadowed craters could theoretically provide drinkable water, breathable oxygen and burnable hydrogen fuel for future explorers and settlers. NASA is planning to send astronauts to the region for the Artemis 3 mission in the mid-2020s.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s more to come from India as well: ISRO is getting ready to launch a sun-observing mission called Aditya-L1 next month. It\u2019s also ramping up its Gaganyaan human spaceflight program \u2014 and talking with Japan\u2019s space agency about LUPEX, an international robotic mission to the lunar south polar region.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am confident that all countries in the world, including those from the global south, are capable of achieving such feats,\u201d Modi said. \u201cWe can all aspire for the moon, and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Indian mission controllers cheer the successful touchdown of the Vikram lunar lander. (ISRO via YouTube) A robotic Indian lander set down safely on the moon today, setting off a wave of pride that reached from Mission Control in Bengaluru to Seattle\u2019s tech community. \u201cIndia is now on the moon,\u201d Prime Minister Narendra Modi said over [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4540,301,2043,625,4541],"class_list":["post-17268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-chandrayaan-3","tag-india","tag-lunar-lander","tag-moon","tag-satya-nadella"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17268"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17268"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17268\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}