Ouyang Ziyuan, a renowned Chinese scientist often referred to as the “father of China’s lunar exploration program,” has cast doubt on the perceived achievements of India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing mission. Ziyuan’s comments, featured in the Chinese-language newspaper Science Times, have sparked discussions regarding the actual location and capabilities of this mission.
One key point of contention raised by Ziyuan is the location of the Chandrayaan-3 landing site. While India has celebrated its achievement as a landing near the South Pole of the Moon, Ziyuan argues that the site, positioned at 69 degrees south latitude, does not meet the criteria for being near the true South Pole. According to his definition, the South Pole should fall within the range of 88.5 to 90 degrees south latitude.
Furthermore, Ziyuan points out that Chandrayaan-3’s landing site is situated approximately 619 kilometers away from the polar region, which raises questions about the extent of its proximity to the South Pole.
Ziyuan’s perspective is not unique among Chinese scientists. Pang Zhihao, a space expert based in Beijing, has previously made comparisons between China’s achievements in space exploration and India’s Chandrayaan missions. Pang highlighted that China possesses the capability to send orbiters and landers directly into the Earth-Moon transfer orbit—a feat it demonstrated with the launch of Chang’e-2 in 2010. In contrast, India faces limitations due to the capacity of its launch vehicles.
Additionally, Pang emphasized the advanced engine technology employed by China and the substantial size of its lunar rover, particularly when compared to India’s Pragyan rover. Notably, Pragyan has a limited lifespan of one lunar day and cannot endure the harsh lunar nights, while China’s Yutu-2 rover has set records by functioning for an extended duration on the lunar surface, thanks to its nuclear-powered system.
Despite the critiques from Chinese scientists, it is essential to recognize India’s pioneering efforts with the Chandrayaan-3 mission. India ventured farther into lunar exploration than any other country, including Russia, the United States, and China. This achievement is even more notable in light of Russia’s recent lunar mission failure, where its Luna-25 mission crashed upon reaching the lunar surface. Russia’s first moon mission in nearly five decades ended in a crash, leaving a significant crater on the Moon.
To provide context, China’s lunar mission successfully touched down at approximately 45 degrees south latitude in 2019, and the U.S.’s Surveyor 7 mission landed at about 41 degrees south latitude in 1968. The interest in landing near the lunar South Pole is driven by the potential presence of ice molecules, which could hold immense significance for future space exploration endeavors.
In conclusion, the assessments and debates surrounding Chandrayaan-3’s lunar landing highlight the competitiveness and ambitions in the field of lunar exploration. While differing perspectives exist, India’s achievements in venturing into this challenging frontier remain a noteworthy contribution to humanity’s collective efforts to unravel the mysteries of the Moon and beyond.
