India launched an unmanned rocket to the moon on Friday, where it will attempt for the second time to join the very exclusive club of countries having succeeded in a controlled moon landing, according to the live broadcast images. The Chandrayaan-3 (“Mooncraft”) rocket lifted off from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh to the cheers of thousands of enthusiasts.
Currently in France, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the space mission carries the “hopes and dreams of our country”. If the mission is successful, the world’s most populous country, with more than 1.4 billion people, would join the successful controlled moon landing club, which currently includes only Russia, the United States and the United States. China. The latest attempt at India’s burgeoning program comes four years after a failed ground crew lost contact shortly before landing on the moon.
But this time, the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) is hopeful of success and is already planning a future manned mission to the Moon. “We are sure that this mission will be successful and will bring pride and recognition to those who worked for it,” Anil G. Verma, of India’s main engine and component supplier to the Indian space program, Godrej, told AFP.
“I am very happy and full of hope,” K. Sivan, the head of Isro, told AFP. The mission confirms India’s great ambitions in this area. Since the launch of a probe into orbit around the Moon in 2008, India’s space program has grown considerably. In 2014, India became the first Asian country to put a satellite into orbit around Mars and three years later launched 104 satellites in a single mission. And by next year, the Asian giant should launch a three-day manned mission in orbit around the Earth.
India is also striving to increase its share of the commercial space market in the world, which is currently 2%, thanks to much lower costs than its competitors. According to experts, the country can remain competitive, in terms of prices, by copying and adapting space technologies that already exist, but also by relying on its many highly qualified engineers who are paid much less than their foreign counterparts.
The previous moon landing attempt in 2019, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of American Neil Armstrong’s first moon landing, cost $140 million (124 million euros), nearly double the cost of the moon landing. Friday launch. But a price much lower than similar projects from other countries. India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who was present at the Bangalore control center, then consoled the teams and told them, “As far as our space program is concerned, the best is yet to come. »
