Chandrayaan 3 scheduled to make soft landing on lunar surface today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The world is waiting for India's lunar probe Chandrayaan-3 to land on the moon today.

Chandrayaan-3 is at the doorstep of the moon after covering hundreds of thousands of kilometers in its 40-day long journey. The Vikram lander will begin its historic mission at 5.45 pm Indian time when the sun shines on the moon. At 6.04 pm, the lander is expected to descend slowly on the south pole of the moon.

The lander is alone in the grueling tests on the lunar surface that is expected to last a minimum of 17 minutes. Everything should be decided by the lander. Engines should be ignited at the correct altitude at the correct time. The lander's fuel should be used in the right quantity. It must also move horizontally and vertically. Before landing, the lunar surface has to be scanned to find the hills and pits.

India will conquer the world the moment the lander touches the lunar soil at 6.04 pm after surviving all the whirlwinds. India will be the first country to land on the south pole of the Moon. A feat that America, Russia and China cannot achieve. The rover will come out from the lander and roll across the lunar soil. The fourteen days and nights on earth will be only day on the moon. It will be a testing time for the rover.

Luna 25, which was sent by Russia to land before us, crashed just short of its target the other day. India's Chandrayaan 2 had a similar experience four years ago. Lander arrived this time with the confidence to rectify those mistakes.