Russia and India Race to the Moon

In what has been framed as a modern space race to the lunar south pole, both India and Russia have embarked on ambitious lunar missions. Although it’s easy to become caught up in who will touch down first, these missions represent a wealthomore than a competition.

India's latest lunar venture, Chandrayaan-3, commenced its journey on July 14, 2023, entering the moon's orbit on August 5. The craft is currently executing orbit reduction maneuvers, preparing for a landing attempt anticipated for August 23.

The target site for the Chandrayaan-3 is situated at 69.37°S 32.35°E. Solar considerations are paramount, as the sun's rise at this location will illuminate the area by August 21 GMT, thereby providing the required power for the solar-powered Vikram lander and Pragyan rover. The estimated landing time is 17:47 IST (1217 GMT, 08:17 a.m. EDT) on August 23.

Both the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover are solar-powered and have a mission lifetime of one lunar daytime (approximately 14 Earth days). This makes the timing of the landing vital to the mission's success and the amount of scientific exploration that can be carried out.