Journalists watch a live animation as Chadrayaan-3 descends to the moon. Photo: Aijaz Rahi / Associated Press
India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), successfully landed its unmanned Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the moon’s south pole on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. The landing comes on the heels of a failed Russian attempt just days earlier. This is the first time that any country has landed a spacecraft in this region of the moon.
The South Pole is a particularly important area for exploration because it is thought to contain significant amounts of water ice. This water ice could be a valuable resource for future human missions to the moon, as it could be used for drinking water, making rocket fuel, and supporting other life-support systems. These elements are considered essential for any attempt to create a long-term research outpost. The South Pole is a unique environment that is unlike any other place on Earth. Exploring this region could help us to learn more about the moon’s geology, history, and environment. This knowledge could be used to develop new technologies and to plan future missions to the moon and beyond.
In addition to water ice, the South Pole is also home to a variety of other interesting geological features, including permanently shadowed craters. These craters are never exposed to sunlight, which means that they could contain ancient organic molecules that have been preserved for billions of years. These organic molecules could be the building blocks of life, and their discovery could shed light on the origins of life on Earth and other planets.
The Chadrayaan-3 mission was launched on July 14 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Photo tweeted by ISRO
The South Pole is also a potential source of other resources, such as helium-3, which could be used to generate clean energy. The development of these resources could help to make human exploration of the moon more sustainable and affordable.
As if in a science fiction story brought to life, the United States, Russia, China, and India have all shown an interest in establishing lunar bases. It would seem that the multi-national interest in the region would eventually become ripe for conflict. As of today, all of the world’s spacefaring nations have signed onto the 1967 Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. The treaty is considered the most fundamental treaty governing space law. The treaty has been ratified by 114 countries as of August 2023. Article II of the treaty states that “outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.”
It remains to be seen what this new “space race” really means, as a number of private companies are also interested in establishing lunar bases. Perhaps the Apple TV hit fictional series “For All Mankind” isn’t too far off the mark.
