Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has set its sights on the uncharted Lunar South Pole, marked by Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, making it the new frontier of space travel, which has never been explored by any space agency before
The Lunar South Pole's rugged terrain, peppered with huge craters, presents difficulties for landing, compounded by challenging dark lighting conditions during descent, even with advanced sensors
Extreme cold, plummeting to temperatures as low as -230 degrees Celsius, poses a formidable obstacle to the operation of electronic instruments critical for exploration on the Lunar South Pole
In equatorial regions of the Moon, the Sun dominates for about 14 consecutive Earth days, succeeded by an equal span of lunar night. The Lunar South Pole tells a different tale with shifting lighting patterns influenced by the season. Due to this, space agencies have to strategically schedule their missions for optimal sunlight exposure on the surface
The Lunar South Pole witnesses the Sun near or just above the horizon, inducing temperatures that can climb to a scorching 130°F (54°C) during its radiant moments. Even during this period of daylight, towering mountains project stark shadows, while deep craters protect perpetual darkness in their abysses on the South Pole
Despite hardships, the contest to reach the Lunar South Pole intensifies, as it is believed to be an ideal site for future exploration missions and a potential lunar outpost
The Lunar South Pole is a captivating target due to its potential abundance of resources, notably water, as confirmed by SOFIA's 2020 discovery, opening doors for unprecedented opportunities. Cold traps are important places on the Lunar South Pole region as they contain possible water and ice that are originally from comets, meteorites and solar wind-induced iron reduction
The presence of water ice within permanently shadowed regions (PSRS) is a game-changer, offering sustenance and the potential for rocket propellant for future explorers and missions
Robotic rovers hold the promise of mining lunar soil within PSRS to extract valuable water resources, revolutionising the possibilities for sustainable exploration
As human missions prepare to conquer the South Pole, Chandrayaan-3's successful landing would mark a testament to technological progress and audacious space ambitions. Moreover, studies conducted here will significantly impact forthcoming Artemis-III missions, signifying the revival of lunar exploration after five decades for NASA
Chandrayaan-3 has successfully completed another crucial operation, bringing it even closer to the Moon's surface. ISRO announced that the spacecraft's orbit was reduced to 174 km x 1437 km following a manoeuvre performed on Wednesday