Russia’s Luna-25 to India's Chandrayaan-3: Destination South Pole of Moon -Facts You Need To Know

After the tragic faolure of the Russia’s Luna-25 mission to touch the South Pole of Moon, now entire world is eyeing the India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission. Russian Luna-25 mission and India's Chandrayaan-3  mission both are aimed to land on the south pole of the Moon which was major curiosity point for rest of the world. 

According to reports by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the much awaited LVM3-M4-Chandrayaan-3 Mission is in progress and it will be witness the Soft-landing begins at 17:20 Hrs. IST on August 23, 2023. As it has been said that the culmination of the mission is to land the same on southern pole of Moon. Here are some important facts about the South Pole of Moon and why it is so important for all of the world. 

Here are some facts about the lunar south pole in brief:

• It is the southernmost point on the Moon, at 90°S.
• It is of special interest to scientists because of the occurrence of water ice in permanently shadowed areas around it.
• The lunar south pole region features craters that are unique in that the near-constant sunlight does not reach their interior. Such craters are cold traps that contain a fossil record of hydrogen, water ice, and other volatiles dating from the early Solar System.
• In contrast, the lunar north pole region exhibits a much lower quantity of similarly sheltered craters.
• The lunar south pole is located on the center of the polar Antarctic Circle (80°S to 90°S).

The lunar south pole has shifted 5 degrees from its original position billions of years ago. This shift has changed the rotational axis of the Moon, allowing sunlight to reach previously shadowed areas, but the south pole still features some completely shadowed areas. Conversely, the pole also contains areas with permanent exposure to sunlight.

The lunar south pole is a challenging place to explore, due to its extreme cold temperatures, lack of sunlight, and rugged terrain. However, it is also a place of great scientific potential, and several missions are planned to explore it in the coming years.

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Here are some of the reasons why the lunar south pole is important:

• It is a potential source of water ice, which could be used for drinking, fuel, and other purposes.
• It is a place where we can study the early history of the Solar System.
• It is a place where we can learn more about the formation and evolution of the Moon.
• It is a place where we can test new technologies for future exploration of space.
• The exploration of the lunar south pole is a challenging but exciting endeavor. It has the potential to yield important scientific discoveries and pave the way for future human exploration of the Moon.