Everyone is talking about Chandrayan-3's successful landing on the Moon's south pole after India became the first nation to achieve this. But why is the "South Pole" getting so much attention everywhere? What significance does the south pole of the moon hold? Why hasn't anyone landed on the South Pole before? In this article, we will briefly address all these questions.
Significance of Moon's South Pole:
Chandrayaan-3's successful landing on the Moon's south pole marked a historic achievement for India, making it the first nation to reach this destination. The Moon's south pole holds excellent significance due to several unique features:
-Permanently shadowed craters in this region are exceptionally cold and may contain valuable resources like water ice and volatiles for future missions.
- Its proximity to the South Pole-Aitken basin, a large and ancient impact basin, holds clues about the Moon's origin and evolution.
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| WAC monochrome mosaic of the interior of SPA, zoomed in to show the 40x40 km region of interest (white box) and surroundings Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University |
Why No South Pole Landings Before?
Landing on the South Pole is challenging due to rugged terrain, variable lighting conditions, and extreme temperatures, making it a rewarding destination for scientific endeavors. India's Chandrayaan-3 mission's success underscores the country's impressive space capabilities.
Multiple space agencies recognize the importance of the Moon's south pole for scientific exploration and resource utilization. India's Chandrayaan-3 mission contributes to this exploration and aims to study various lunar aspects while testing technologies for future missions.