Imagine you're standing on the edge of a crater on the moon
and it's freezing.
Yeah.
Like unbelievably cold.
Because the sun never actually reaches
the bottom of this crater.
No.
And you're looking out over a landscape
that hasn't seen sunlight for billions of years.
Billions of years, yeah.
Pretty mind blowing, right?
Absolutely.
Now picture a spacecraft descending,
touching down gently in this like totally unexplored region.
That's a heck of a visual.
It is, and that's what India just accomplished
with their Chandrayaan program.
It really is a remarkable achievement.
It is.
Welcome to Cosmos in a Podspace and Astronomy series.
Today we're diving deep into Chandrayaan,
which funnily enough just means moon craft in Sanskrit.
I like that.
Yeah, it's a fitting name.
It's not just about planting a flag or anything.
It's about pushing the boundaries of what
we know about the moon, searching for resources,
and really testing out technologies that might one day
take us even further into space.
What's so impressive to me is that they pulled all of this
off with a budget that's tiny compared
to some other space agencies.
Right.
Talk about ingenuity.
OK, so before we get into the specifics of the missions,
I got to ask, why is everyone so obsessed with the moon again
these days?
I mean, we've already been there, right?
Well, you know, it might seem like old news,
but the moon is actually like a key to understanding
the early solar system.
It's like a time capsule, presuming clues
about how our planet and maybe even life itself came to be.
OK, so it's not just some big, boring rock in the sky.
Definitely not.
And on top of that, there's the potential for resources,
especially water ice.
Oh, yeah, that's right.
And that's kind of like finding a gold mine on the moon.
You could use it for drinking water, oxygen, even rocket
fuel, which would make those long-duration missions far more
sustainable.
Yeah, like a cosmic pit stop.
Exactly.
OK, I'm starting to see why there's so much buzz.
So let's go back to 2008 Chandrayaan 1,
India's first lunar mission.
What was the main goal of that one?
So Chandrayaan 1 was their debut on the world stage,
proving that India was a major player in space exploration.
Yeah, making a statement.
They wanted to map the lunar surface in detail,
study what it's made of, and of course, look for signs of water.
And they found it right.
That was big news.
We did.
It was groundbreaking.
But how did they actually know it was water?
Well, they used an instrument that
was from NASA that can pick up the unique signature of water
molecules.
Oh, that's cool.
And it really changed everything.
We went from thinking of the moon as this bone-dried desert
to realizing it might actually be more like an oasis.
An oasis on the moon, who would have thought?
Now, what I remember most vividly from Chandrayaan 1
was the moon impact probe.
This was basically a projectile that they
crashed into the moon on purpose.
Why did they do that?
It does sound a little crazy, right?
But it was all about getting as much data as possible
during that descent.
They wanted to learn about the super thin lunar atmosphere.
And they were taking measurements right up
until the moment of impact.
Talk about a dramatic ending.
So Chandrayaan 1 was definitely a success.
What was the next step in their journey to the moon?
Next came Chandrayaan 2, which launched in 2019.
This one was even more ambitious.
How so?
Their goal was to land a spacecraft near the moon's
south pole, a region that's always in shadow.
And scientists believe it might have
huge amounts of that precious water ice we talked about.
Why is the south pole so important?
I mean, the moon's a pretty big place.
Why focus on that particular area?
It's all about those craters that
are in permanent darkness.
You see, because of the moon's tilt,
some craters near the poles never get sunlight.
So they've been acting as like cold traps
for billions of years.
And water ice delivered by comets and asteroids
has accumulated there totally untouched.
So this ice could be what lets humans live on the moon
someday.
You got it.
And Chandrayaan 2 was designed to take a closer look.
It had an orbiter to map the surface, a lander named Vikram
to actually touch down, and even a little rover called Pragyan
to scout around.
Wow, so they really upped their game.
Did everything work out as planned this time?
Well, the orbiter did its job.
It reached lunar orbit perfectly,
and it's still sending us valuable data even today.
Well, that's good.
Unfortunately, the Vikram lander ran into some problems
during its descent, and it wasn't
able to achieve a soft landing.
Oh, no.
What happened?
It seems like there was a software glitch that
caused Vikram to veer off course.
They were so close.
But in the end, they lost the lander.
I bet that was heartbreaking.
Yeah.
But hey, setbacks happen in space exploration all the time,
right?
All the time.
And what's important is that they learned from it.
They applied those lessons to that next mission.
Which brings us to Chandrayaan 3,
the mission that made history.
What made this one different, and what were
they hoping to accomplish?
Chandrayaan 3 was their chance to redeem themselves.
They wanted to prove they could stick that landing.
They took what they learned from Chandrayaan 2,
improved their technology, and they went for it again.
This time, they nailed it.
I'll say, the whole world was watching
as that lander came down.
It was such a nail-biter.
Can you walk us through that landing?
What made it so tricky?
So landing on the moon is hard, like really hard.
I can imagine.
There's no atmosphere to help you slow down.
You're basically just using thrusters
and a whole lot of math to lower a spacecraft onto the surface.
Right.
It's not like there's a landing strip waiting for you.
Exactly.
And in this case, they were trying
to hit a tiny target near the South Pole, an area that's
not only dark, but super rugged.
OK, so how did they manage to pull it off?
What was the secret sauce this time around?
Well, they made some serious upgrades to the Vikram lander.
They improved its hazard detection and avoidance
systems, fine-tuned the landing algorithms,
and they ran countless simulations
to make sure they thought of everything.
That's impressive.
It was a real testament to their engineering skills.
And it paid off.
On August 23, 2023, Vikram touched down safe and sound,
making India the fourth country ever to soft land on the moon
and the first to do it near the South Pole.
That was a huge moment.
Absolutely.
It was a big win for India, and it
showed the world that they're not just participating
in the space race.
They're becoming a leader.
So Vikram lands.
Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
What happens next?
Next up was Pragyan, the little rover.
It spent about two weeks exploring the area
around the landing site, running experiments,
and beaming back tons of data.
Like what kind of data?
What was Pragyan looking for?
It had special instruments to analyze the stuff that
makes up the lunar soil.
They found sulfur, aluminum, calcium, iron, titanium,
all these elements that tell us about the moon's history.
So it's like a little geologist roving around up there.
Exactly.
And these findings are helping us understand
how the moon formed and how it's changed over time,
which also gives us clues about the early solar system.
You know what amazes me?
It's not just about those big moments like the landing itself.
There's so much science happening behind the scenes
even after the main event is over.
You're right.
Like take the orbiter from Chandrayaan, too.
Even though they lost the lander,
that orbiter is still circling the moon,
mapping the surface in high definition,
and sending back all this valuable information.
Wow.
So they were able to get something really important out
of a mission that didn't go perfectly to plan.
Resourcefulness is key in space exploration,
and that orbiter is still making major contributions
to our understanding of the moon.
It shows just how dedicated they are to making
the most of every mission.
It's pretty remarkable that all three Chandrayaan missions,
even though they had different goals and different outcomes,
have ultimately contributed to our knowledge of the moon.
Each mission builds on the last pushing the boundaries
a little further each time.
Yeah.
And that's what I love about space exploration.
It's this ongoing journey of discovery
where every step takes us closer to understanding
the universe.
It's not just about expanding our knowledge, though, right?
It's also about inspiring the next generation of scientists
and engineers.
That's a huge part of it.
These missions capture people's imaginations.
They show what we can achieve when we set our minds
to something ambitious.
It's about sparking that curiosity
and inspiring young people to pursue careers in STEM.
And the impact goes way beyond India, right?
It's felt around the world.
Totally.
ISRO has been so open to collaboration.
They share their data with scientists everywhere,
and they work with other space agencies
to advance our understanding of the moon.
It's a global effort.
So it's not just a competition.
Not at all.
They're showing that in space exploration,
we're all in this together, and that by working together,
we can accomplish incredible things.
Speaking of incredible things, how about the budget?
Everyone's talking about how India's space program does
so much with so little.
Compared to other major players, their budget is tiny.
How do they manage that?
It's really impressive.
They've figured out how to be incredibly
efficient finding creative ways to reach their goals
without spending a fortune.
So what's their secret?
Well, they're masters of frugality.
They reuse technology whenever they can.
They make the most of what they already have,
and they focus on building things themselves instead
of relying on expensive imports.
It's a testament to their ingenuity,
and it's an inspiration to other countries that are just
starting to develop their own space programs.
Exactly.
It shows that you don't need unlimited funds
to make big contributions to space exploration.
It's about smart planning, efficient execution,
and a passion for pushing the limits of what's possible.
So we've talked about the past and the present of Chandrayaan.
What about the future?
What are India's plans for lunar exploration going forward?
Well, there are rumors of a Chandrayaan 4,
although the details are still pretty hush-hush.
Intriguing.
Some people are saying it might involve
exploring parts of the moon that have never been seen before,
or maybe even attempting a sample return mission.
Bring a piece of the moon back to Earth.
That would be amazing.
What would that tell us scientifically?
Just imagine having actual lunar samples
to study here on Earth.
Yeah.
It would open up a whole new world of research.
We could analyze those rocks and soil in much greater detail,
look at their isotopic signatures
to learn about the moon's formation and evolution,
and even look for signs of past life
or the building blocks of life.
It would be like having a piece of the puzzle
right here in our hands.
Yeah.
But sample return missions, those
are notoriously difficult and pricey, right?
They are.
But ISRO has shown us they can do amazing things
on a tight budget.
Yeah.
And if they pulled off a successful sample return,
it would really cement their place
as a leader in space exploration.
Let's switch gears for a second and talk
about Gaganyaan, India's human spaceflight program.
What's the latest there?
Gaganyaan is moving along nicely.
They've been doing a bunch of unmanned test flights,
putting all the systems through their paces.
The goal is to launch their first crewed mission
in the next few years, sending Indian astronauts into orbit.
That's going to be a landmark event.
And who knows, maybe those Gaganyaan missions
will one day lead to Indian astronauts walking on the moon.
Now, that would be something special.
It would be a testament to human ingenuity
and the power of dreams.
It's not just about national pride.
It's about showing what humanity is capable of
and inspiring future generations.
We touched on this earlier, but what about those permanent lunar
habitats?
You know, with the discovery of water ice on the moon,
that's starting to seem like a real possibility.
Is that a long-term goal for India?
It's definitely something that's being discussed.
Imagine a self-sustaining base on the moon,
a jumping off point for further exploration
of the solar system.
It's an idea that sparks the imagination
and speaks to our desire to explore the unknown.
But what are the biggest obstacles
to making that happen?
There are quite a few.
Yeah.
We're talking about building a place where
humans can live on a world with no air, extreme temperatures,
and constant bombardment from radiation and micrometeoroids.
It would take some major advances in life support
systems, radiation shielding, and ways to extract resources.
It sounds like a massive undertaking.
It is.
But like any really big challenge,
it also presents an opportunity for innovation
and collaboration.
It would take the combined brainpower and resources
of scientists, engineers, and nations from all over the world
all working together to push the limits of what's
humanly possible.
It reminds us that space exploration is really
a global effort at its heart.
Exactly.
And India is proven to be a valuable partner
in this global quest.
They're sharing their knowledge, their resources,
their expertise, all to help us understand the cosmos a little
better.
As we wrap up our deep dive into Chandrayan,
I'm just filled with this sense of awe and inspiration.
It's a story of ambition, perseverance,
and the incredible power of human ingenuity.
It's a testament to what we can do
when we set our sights on the stars and dare to dream big.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
And who knows what amazing discoveries are still
out there waiting for us as we continue
to explore the vastness of space.
The future of space exploration is bright.
And India is going to be a major part of shaping that future.
It's a thrilling time to be alive
and to witness these historic endeavors unfold.
Absolutely.
Don't forget to follow and subscribe to Cosmos in a Pod
and our YouTube channel for more deep dives
into the mysteries of the universe.
Until next time, keep looking up and keep exploring.
Bringing a piece of the moon back to Earth,
that would be incredible.
What kind of scientific value would that hold?
Imagine having actual lunar samples
to study here on Earth.
Yeah.
It would open up so many new research possibilities.
We could analyze the composition of those lunar rocks
and soil in much greater detail, study their isotopic signatures,
to learn about the moon's formation and evolution,
and even search for signs of past life or the building
blocks of life.
It would be like having a time capsule
from the early solar system right here in our labs.
Exactly.
Right.
But those sample return missions, they're not easy,
are they?
They're super complex and expensive.
You're not wrong.
They are a huge challenge.
But ISRO has shown us time and time again
that they are capable of achieving
some pretty amazing things, even with limited resources.
And if they pulled off a successful sample return
mission, it would really solidify their position
as a global leader in space exploration.
No doubt about it.
So let's shift gears for a minute
and talk about Gaganian India's human spaceflight program.
What's the latest on that front?
Gaganian is moving along steadily.
They've been conducting a series of unmanned test flights,
really putting all the systems through their paces.
Right.
The goal is to launch their first crewed mission
within the next few years, sending
Indian astronauts into orbit.
That would be monumental.
And you know, who knows?
Maybe those Gaganian missions could eventually
pay the way for Indian astronauts
to actually walk on the moon.
Wouldn't that be something?
It would be a dream come true.
It would be a testament to human ingenuity
and the power of daring to dream big.
Absolutely.
It's not just about national pride either.
It's about pushing the limits of what humanity can achieve
and inspiring generations to come.
Earlier, we were talking about the possibility
of permanent lunar habitats.
With the discovery of water ice on the moon,
that's starting to feel like a real possibility.
Is that something India is considering as a long-term goal?
It's definitely being discussed.
Imagine a self-sustaining lunar base, a sort of stepping stone
for further exploration of the solar system.
It's a vision that captures the imagination
and really speaks to that innate human desire
to explore the unknown.
It does sound pretty amazing.
Yeah.
But what are the biggest challenges
to making that a reality?
Well, there are quite a few.
We're talking about creating a habitable environment
on a celestial body with no atmosphere, extreme temperatures,
and constant bombardment from radiation and micrometeoroids.
Yeah, those are some serious obstacles.
It will require significant advances in life support
systems, radiation shielding, and ways
to extract resources from the lunar environment.
It sounds incredibly daunting.
It is a massive undertaking, no doubt.
But like any great challenge, it also
presents an opportunity for innovation and collaboration.
It would require the combined efforts of scientists,
engineers, and nations from all over the world
all working together to push the boundaries of what's possible.
It really underscores the fact that space exploration is
ultimately a global endeavor.
Absolutely.
And India is proving to be a valuable partner
in this global quest.
They're sharing their knowledge, their resources,
and their expertise to help us all understand
the cosmos a little better.
Well said.
As we wrap up our deep dive into Chandrayaan,
I'm left with a sense of awe and inspiration.
It's a truly remarkable story of ambition, perseverance,
and the power of human ingenuity.
It's a testament to what we can achieve
when we set our sights on the stars
and refuse to give up on our dreams.
And who knows what incredible discoveries await us
as we continue to explore the vast expanse of space.
The future of space exploration is bright,
and India is poised to play a leading role
in shaping that future.
It's an exciting time to be alive
and to witness these historic endeavors unfold.
Absolutely.
Don't forget to follow and subscribe to Cosmos in a Pod
and our YouTube channel for more deep dives
into the mysteries of the universe.
Until next time, keep looking up and keep exploring.