Verghese V Joseph –
India scripted history as Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module (LM) touched down on the lunar surface on Wednesday at 6.04 p.m., making it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth’s only natural satellite.
This comes just days after a Russian probe Luna-25 crashed in the same region.
Following Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander’s successful landing on the Moon, the ISRO Chief S Somnath said, “India is now on the Moon!”
Also Read: When ISRO Aimed for the Heavens, A Tiny Church in Kerala Said Amen!
The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI) too joined in the celebrations by congratulating ISRO on its spectacular achievement.
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), Most Rev. Andrews Thazhath, extended his warmest congratulations to ISRO and the entire nation on the remarkable achievement of the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface.
Rev. Andrews said, “The progress made by our scientists and engineers in the field of space research is truly commendable and fills our hearts with pride. The efforts of ISRO and the entire team behind Chandrayaan 3 serve as an inspiration to the entire nation.”
“The pursuit of knowledge and exploration knows no boundaries and brings together people from all walks of life, reflecting the unity in diversity that India represents. We offer our prayers for the continued success of ISRO’s endeavors and for the well-being of our great nation. May this achievement serve as a reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together with a shared vision,” he added.
Pope and the Moon
On the morning of March 9, 2013, the then Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (who went on to become Pope Francis) entered the Aula Nervi in the Vatican and read a brief speech before the Cardinals gathered in Rome in the General Congregations preceding the Conclave convened to elect a new Pope, after Benedict XVI had renounced his ministry as Bishop of Rome.
Citing the “Mysterium Lunae,” Cardinal Bergoglio took up an ancient formula already coined by the Greek and Latin Fathers of the early Christian Centuries to indicate the Church’s innermost nature and mystery. For the Christian Fathers of the first Centuries, it was evident that the Church, like the moon, does not shine by its own light and lives only by reflected light when its opaque body is illuminated by the luminous grace of Christ. The same thing was repeated by the Second Vatican Council, whose Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium re-announces to the world already in its first words that “Christ is the light to all men,” and only “a light brightly visible on the countenance of the Church.” (LG, 1).
The Journey of Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14. Before India, only the United States, Russia and China have achieved a soft-landing on the surface of the Earth’s only natural satellite.
ISRO, following the Vikram lander’s successful landing on the Moon, tweeted, “Chandrayaan-3 Mission: ‘India, I reached my destination and you too!’: Chandrayaan-3”
PM Modi congratulated the country on the historic moment of Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the moon. “We are witness to the new flight of new India. New history has been written. India is fully committed to human space flight,” he said.
“On this joyous occasion…I would like to address all the people of the world,” he said. “India’s successful moon mission is not just India’s alone. This is a year in which the world is witnessing India’s G20 presidency. Our approach of one Earth, one family, one future is resonating across the globe.
“This human-centric approach that we present and we represent has been welcome universally. Our moon mission is also based on the same human-centric approach,” Modi added. “Therefore, this success belongs to all of humanity, and it will help moon missions by other countries in the future.”
President Droupadi Murmu said , “Scientists have made history with landing of Chandrayaan-3 on lunar surface; made India proud. Chandrayaan-3 landing a momentous occasion, an event that happens once in lifetime.”
India’s lunar lander consists of three parts: a lander, rover and propulsion module, which provided the spacecraft all the thrust required to traverse the 384,400-kilometer (238,855-mile) void between the moon and Earth.
The lander, called Vikram, completed the precision maneuvers required to make a soft touchdown on the lunar surface after it was ejected from the propulsion module. Tucked inside is Pragyan, a small, six-wheeled rover that will deploy from the lander by rolling down a ramp.
Vikram used its on board thrusters to carefully orient itself as it approached the lunar surface, and it slowly throttled down its engines for a touchdown just after 6 p.m. IST (8:30 a.m. ET) as applause erupted from the mission control room.
The lander, which weighs about 1,700 kilograms (3,748 pounds), and 26-kilogram (57.3-pound) rover are packed with scientific instruments, prepared to capture data to help researchers analyze the lunar surface and deliver fresh insights into its composition.
The team behind Chandrayaan-3’s successful Moon landing and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) team members took a moment after the landing to acknowledge the hard work that went into making India the first nation to land on the lunar south pole.
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