India etched its name in history with its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, on 22 October 2008. The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, to orbit around the moon at a height of 100 km from the moon’s surface. It carried 11 indigenously developed and exported instruments to provide chemical, mineralogical, and photo-geologic mapping of the Moon. This mission showcased India’s advancing technological prowess and marked its inclusion among the select nations capable of lunar exploration.
An Ambitious Mind
Before launching Chandrayaan-1, India had steadily worked towards building a strong space program. This led to the foundation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969, with the ambition to go beyond launching satellites for communication, weather monitoring, and defence.
The seeds for India’s lunar ambitions were planted in the 1990s, with space scientists emphasising the need for India to start its mission for planetary exploration. In 1999, ISRO proposed the idea of sending a mission to the moon, aiming to expand India’s space capabilities. This set the wheels in motion for the Chandrayaan-1 mission, which had the clear objective of analysing the moon’s surface and investigating the presence of water ice on the lunar poles.
Discoveries That Shook The World
After the launch, the spacecraft orbited the Earth for 13 days, and on November 8th, Chandrayaan-1 entered the lunar orbit. The spacecraft was brought closer to the lunar surface in four days. On November 14, the Moon Impact Probe detached from the Chandrayaan orbiter and descended towards the surface of the moon.
After reaching the moon’s surface, Chandrayaan-1 made some remarkable discoveries related to the presence of water. Before this mission, Apollo samples were the only ones to claim that they had discovered water molecules preserved inside the volcanic glass. However, this research only meant that water was present on the moon’s surface a while ago when it had active volcanos. But Chandrayaan-1 detected traces of water on the sunlit areas of the moon’s surface. Moreover, NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper, installed in Chandrayaan-1, revealed the presence of magmatic water in multiple locations on the moon.
Key People And Bodies Behind The Launch
The mission’s success was due to the collaborative efforts of visionary scientists, engineers, and, most notably, India’s space agency, ISRO. The mission was meticulously executed under the leadership of ISRO’s then-chairman, Dr. G. Madhavan Nair. Further, Nair’s leadership ensured that the spacecraft was equipped with world-class instruments to support the mission’s success.
Another key figure in the success of the space exploration journey was Mylswamy Annadurai, the project director of Chandrayaan-1. His expertise in engineering guided the mission through its most critical phases. Annadurai’s passion for engineering and space ensured a safe launch into orbit and led to ground-breaking discoveries.
Last but not least, the role of the Indian Government in the mission cannot be ignored. Then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, officially announced India’s intentions to launch a lunar probe and invested approximately $90 million into the mission amidst the global financial crisis.
A New Era for India and the World
The launch of Chandrayaan-1 marked a pivotal moment in India’s socio-economic trajectory. From a social perspective, the success of India’s first lunar mission instilled a sense of national pride and achievement. For a country with a burgeoning population and growing technological aspirations, Chandrayaan-1 became a symbol of what Indian innovation could achieve.
The mission’s success also inspired a new generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists, leaving a lasting impact on India’s education system. Schools and colleges started promoting more space educational programs. Moreover, the Chandrayaan-1 success positioned India as an attractive destination for space collaborations, with international space agencies and scientific institutions eager to work with ISRO in future missions.
Apart from this, Chandrayaan-1 elevated India’s status as a major player in space exploration internationally. The mission’s success garnered attention from global space agencies such as NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), and other international organisations, all keen to collaborate with India on future space endeavours.
A Journey To Be A Part Of!
The launch of Chandrayaan-1 on 22 October 2008 was more than just a technological achievement; it was a defining moment in India’s journey toward becoming a global leader in space exploration. With its successful first step toward lunar exploration, India proved that its aspirations to explore the cosmos were well within reach.
