Key figures include Chandrayaan-3 project director as well as ISRO chairman & directors of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, U R Rao Satellite Centre & Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Attempted landings on the moon have failed before. Russia's Luna-25 craft had been scheduled to land on the south pole this week but spun out of control on approach and crashed.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath had said the most critical part of the landing will be the process of reducing the velocity of the lander from 30 km height to the final landing.
Launched on 14 July, Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to put the Vikram lander softly at the lunar south pole. The process will start at approximately 5.45 pm IST Wednesday.
The seemingly sudden competition to get to a previously unexplored region of the moon recalls the space race of the 1960s when the United States and the Soviet Union competed.
A successful landing on the moon’s south pole Wednesday will expand knowledge of lunar water ice, which is potentially one of the moon's most valuable resources.
On 14 July, ISRO’s third moon mission will be launched from Sriharikota. Merely a tech demonstrator aimed at test landing and roving capabilities, it doesn’t carry sophisticated payloads
The first private moon landing failed after losing contact with its Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1) lander, with ispace concluding it had most likely crashed on the lunar surface.
Despite multiple agencies being involved, the US could maintain a clear chain of command. This is something India should consider too, as it defines the theatre command structures.
The latest comment comes as New Delhi and Washington have yet to sign a trade agreement. India’s purchase of Russian oil has reduced, but Moscow remains top source for crude.
Venezuela also boasts of a diverse portfolio of unmanned aerial vehicles capable of carrying out surveillance, reconnaissance and being employed for kinetic purposes as well.
Many of you might think I got something so wrong in National Interest pieces written this year. I might disagree! But some deserve a Mea Culpa. I’d deal with the most recent this week.
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