For many, India may still be stuck in the stereotype of backwardness, poverty and overpopulation. Words such as disease, harsh living conditions, and social class often accompany this ancient country. However, this is not the whole picture of India.
In fact, they have the world's earliest large-scale urban civilization - the Indus River civilization, and are also an important birthplace of the world-famous IT industry and film industry.
More importantly, India is also an ambitious country that is actively exploring space, and at present, India is preparing for a major space challenge, the Chandrayan-3 program.
India's moonship program
In fact, India's lunar exploration did not begin with Chandrayaan-3. In fact, as early as 2008, India began its first lunar exploration mission, the Chandrayaan-1 program.
However, due to the high failure rate, Chandrayan-1 only flew the mission for one year
The mission was extremely successful, with Indian probes successfully circling the moon, providing the human scientific community with a rich map of the moon and chemical analysis of the moon.
India then moved to a higher goal: a soft landing on the moon and high-definition images and data of the lunar surface back to Earth. This task fell on the shoulders of Chandrayaan-2. However, just as Chandrayaan-2 was about to successfully land, it disappeared at the last minute.
Its disappearance has brought doubts to the Indian people and the world, and has also put India's lunar exploration mission in trouble. However, India did not give up, they learned from their failures and prepared for the next lunar exploration.
Since we talk about India's space program, we have to mention the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is a long-established and high-achieving institution that has been hosting India's space missions since its inception in 1969.
Under ISRO's leadership, India has made the leap from zero to one. From the first weather satellites to communication satellites to expeditions to Mars and exploration of the moon, they have demonstrated great breakthroughs in India's scientific and technological prowess.
This time, ISRO has launched a new challenge - the Chandrayaan-3 program. According to ISRO Chairman Somanat, the mission has been significantly improved on problems that may arise during launch.
Chandrayan-3's structure, computers, hardware, software and sensors have been upgraded, and more fuel has been added to the lander to ensure it can land safely on the lunar surface. At the same time, the detector is equipped with large solar panels, which can generate more energy.
It can be said that India has prepared for the success of Chandrayan-3, and has also demonstrated its ambition and strong technical prowess. So, can India succeed in this challenge? Let's take a look at the specific details and technological highlights of the Chandrayaan-3 plan.
Chandrayan-3's secret weapon: random landing technology
In the Chandrayan-3 landing technology, Indian engineers adopted a very innovative strategy, which is the so-called "random landing".
This "random landing" does not mean that India's Chandrayaan-3 will find a random place to land on the moon.
On the contrary, it is a fairly precise operation. According to ISRO's description, the probe will land in a larger area close to the intended landing site. This design means that even if there is a certain position deviation, the probe can still land safely.
So, what are the benefits of this strategy? First, this approach provides more flexibility for India's lunar exploration. Since the lunar surface is full of craters and mountains of various sizes, finding a suitable landing site is a very big challenge.
If India's probe can choose a landing site in a larger area, it has more chances of finding a relatively flat and safe place to land.
Second, this strategy also gives Indian scientists more options. If some scientifically valuable sites are found near the original landing site, India's probe could choose to land there, further increasing the scientific benefits of the mission.
This random landing strategy gives Chandrayaan-3 a huge advantage, not only making the landing process safer, but also making scientific research more valuable.
If India succeeds, what level will it be at internationally?
Assuming India's Chandrayan-3 successfully lands and starts working, it will be another important milestone for India in the field of space.
First, India will be the fourth country to successfully make a soft landing on the lunar surface, following in the footsteps of the United States, the former Soviet Union and China.
And the random landing, if successful, will prove India's breakthrough in precision control and maneuverability. This will make India's space technology more competitive internationally and attract global attention. At the same time, it also proves that ISRO, an Indian space research organization, has the ability to deal with complex problems and meet challenges.
The main missions of Chandrayaan-3 include scientific research missions and the release of the lunar rover. If these missions are successfully completed, India will accumulate a large amount of lunar surface data and promote the advancement of scientific research. This will further elevate India's standing in the international scientific community and make India an important player in deep space exploration.
The possibility of India finding water on the moon is even more exciting. If India can find water on the moon, it will open up new possibilities for future lunar exploration.
It can be said that if India's Chandrayan-3 can succeed, India will stand at a whole new height internationally. But this success does not mean that India can easily sit back and enjoy it.
After all, competition never stops in this field. So how will India's success affect the landscape of space?
Especially for the current main competitors, China and the United States, what challenges and pressures will they face?
Will it put competitive pressure on China and the United States?
First, if India succeeds in finding water on the moon, it will be a disruption. Water plays a huge role in the strategy of the future moon.
Whether it is the establishment of a lunar base or the exploitation of lunar resources, it is inseparable from water. If India takes the lead in identifying water sources on the moon, it will lock in the lunar water resources, and China and the United States will undoubtedly feel the pressure.
This pressure is not only in the exploration of lunar water resources, but also in scientific research technology and international prestige. India's successful Chandrayaan-3 mission will enhance its position in international space and increase China's and U.S. competitors in the space race.
China and the United States have had to push harder on their lunar exploration programs to maintain their lead.
However, the answer to this question is not so simple. India's success does not mean the failure of China and the United States, and likewise, progress in China and the United States will not stop India.
This is an era of competition and cooperation, and challenges and opportunities are shared. Whether India's Chandrayan-3 mission succeeds or not, it is enough to attract global attention.
The challenges and opportunities it brings will make the path of lunar exploration richer and more interesting, and promote human exploration of the moon to open up more possibilities.
In the future of lunar exploration, competition and cooperation coexist
Recall how human space technology has grown from scratch and from something to strong over the years.
In 1969, the American Apollo 11 spacecraft successfully landed on the moon for the first time, realizing the "lunar dream" of mankind.
In 2003, China's Shenzhou-5 manned spacecraft was successfully launched, marking the mainland as the third country after Russia and the United States to independently complete manned space flight. Now, India is also leaving its own footprint on the lunar path.
Our hero "Yang Liwei"
The exploration of the moon is not a zero-sum game. The competition and challenges of these three countries does not mean that one of them must fail in order to achieve the success of the other.
On the contrary, this healthy competition can instead drive the advancement of space technology and advance human understanding of the moon.
India's Chandrayan-3 is undoubtedly a new force in this competition. Not only could it change India's space status, but it could push the entire world into a new phase of lunar exploration.
As countries that already have certain space capabilities, China and the United States will undoubtedly find new impetus from this competition and promote the development of their own space technology.
On the lunar exploration path of the future, competition and cooperation will coexist. Every country, every team, every researcher is striving for this common goal and contributing their own strength.
I hope we can witness this moment together, witness every breakthrough and every progress of mankind on the road of lunar exploration. And this is the meaning of our living in this era, and it is also our luck to live in this era.
Resources:
1. The launch time of Chandrayaan-3 is confirmed! It is actually possible to land randomly, if successful, the pressure from China and the United States comes
2. India is about to launch Chandrayaan-3 or become the fourth country to achieve a controlled moon fall
3. India is also on the moon than China? The probe disappeared just after going to the moon, and was blackened by Ba Tie