Hello serene beauty - the Moon!!

The Race and Business of the Moon.

Last week, as I strolled to the office in the early morning light, I couldn't help but gaze up at the brilliant moon hanging gracefully in the sky. Little did I know that this celestial spectacle marked a significant moment in India's space exploration history. It was just one day after the Indian Moon lander had nestled itself into the moon's nocturnal embrace, embarking on a journey of exploration and discovery in the lunar night. As I marveled at the moon's serene beauty, I couldn't help but ponder the remarkable feat accomplished by our nation in the vast expanse of space.

The camera always struggle to capture the Moon's details due to its extreme brightness contrasted - not great for optimal moon photography.

Why should I'm write on the Moon or ISRO Chandrayaan?

My birthplace is few kilometres away from where all this started - TERLS. In 1963 Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched its first rocket from Thumba Equatorial Launching Station.

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station:

• The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) is located in Thumba, Kerala, and was established in 1962. It is used primarily for launching sounding rockets to study the Earth's upper atmosphere.
• TERLS is strategically located near the magnetic equator, making it an ideal location for studying the ionosphere and other atmospheric phenomena.
• Over the years, TERLS has conducted numerous scientific experiments and has contributed significantly to India's space research efforts.

Before you laugh off and say this very basic - it worked and launch was successful. #TERLS became #ISRO launchpad, however it became big league in 1979 when India successfully launched the Rohini series of sounding rockets, named after the star Beta Piscium, from Thumba. These rockets played a crucial role in atmospheric research and technological development.

ISRO's History:

• 1960s: The Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was established in 1962. It later became ISRO in 1969.
• Aryabhata: In 1975, India launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, marking the beginning of its space program.
• Rohini Satellite: The successful launch of Rohini Satellite in 1980 made India the sixth country in the world to have its own satellite launch capability.
• 1980s and 1990s: ISRO continued to develop its space capabilities with launches like INSAT series for communication and IRS series for remote sensing.

ISRO's Lunar Missions:

• Chandrayaan-1 (2008): ISRO's first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, was launched in 2008. It successfully discovered water molecules on the lunar surface and provided valuable data about the moon.
• Chandrayaan-2 (2019): Chandrayaan-2 was ISRO's second lunar mission launched in July 2019. It consisted of an orbiter, a lander (Vikram), and a rover (Pragyan). While the orbiter continues to study the moon, the lander's attempt to make a soft landing on the moon's surface was unsuccessful.

• Chandrayaan-3 (2023): Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched on India's heaviest rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark-III, it is still not strong enough to propel the mission on a direct path of the Moon. The Apollo mission would reach the Moon in just three days after launch from Cape Canaveral in the United States while Chandrayaan-3 taking 40 days to reach Moon. Launched on July 14, reaching lunar orbit by August 5 and the soft-landing on August 23. The mission is led by Ritu Karidhal, fondly known as the 'Rocket Woman of India', reflecting the country's strides in promoting women in the field of space science.

Business and Race of the Moon

The success of Chandrayaan-3 boosted India's national pride as it demonstrates the country's technological capabilities and advancements in space exploration. It has positive impacts on India's economy, attracting more investments in the space sector. The successful mission drives innovation and fosters the development of new technologies, which can be used in other industries.

Scientific Discoveries: Chandrayaan-3 is providing valuable data and insights into the moon's geology, mineralogy, and environment, contributing to our understanding of space and the universe.

The Moon's mineralogy opens the door to "lunar gold rush" and explored the potential of moon mining. The Moon colony is the future as per many leading Space Racing countries.

Below are the points shared by multiple agencies :

WATER

The first definitive discovery of water on the moon was made in 2008 by the Indian mission Chandrayaan-1, which detected hydroxyl molecules spread across the lunar surface and concentrated at the poles, according to NASA.

Water is crucial for human life and also can be a source of hydrogen and oxygen - and these can be used for rocket fuel.

HELIUM-3

Helium-3 is an isotope of helium that is rare on earth, but NASA says there are estimates of a million tonnes of it on the moon.

This isotope could provide nuclear energy in a fusion reactor but since it is not radioactive it would not produce dangerous waste, according to the European Space Agency.

RARE EARTH METALS

Rare earth metals - used in smartphones, computers and advanced technologies - are present on the moon, including scandium, yttrium and the 15 lanthanides, according to research by Boeing.

HOW WOULD MOON MINING WORK?

It is not entirely clear.

Some sort of infrastructure would have to be established on the moon. The conditions of the moon mean robots would have to do most of the hard work, though water on the moon would allow for long-term human presence.

I will not be surprised in 20-30 years, your phone like devices may contain minerals from the Moon!