India's 'wisdom' on the Moon: Here's why Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover is so significant

India is on the verge of creating history this Wednesday by attempting to achieve a remarkable feat – becoming the first nation to achieve a soft landing near the Moon's south pole. While the US, Russia, and China have all successfully landed on the Moon, none of them have managed to accomplish this near the southern polar region.

The live broadcast of Chandrayaan-3's landing process is set to commence at 5:20 PM on Wednesday, marking the initiation of its critical descent towards a gentle landing on the lunar surface. A "soft landing" involves a controlled and gradual descent to ensure the spacecraft remains undamaged.

Launched on July 14, the mission consists of three core components: the Vikram lander, the Pragyan rover, and a propulsion module. On Wednesday, the lander and rover will endeavour to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface after separating from the propulsion module on August 17.

The Pragyan rover, a 26-kilogram robotic vehicle, is equipped with an array of instruments designed for the mission. Its name, derived from the Sanskrit word for "wisdom," reflects its purpose. The rover's operational life spans one lunar day, equivalent to 14 days on Earth.

Among its key tools is a laser-induced breakdown spectroscope (LIBS) propulsion module. This module plays a pivotal role in conducting qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis, assisting in determining both the chemical and mineralogical composition of the lunar surface.

The Pragyan rover also features an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), which will prove instrumental in discerning the elemental composition of lunar rocks and soil within the landing vicinity.

It's noteworthy that Russia's Luna-25 was also slated to touch down near the Moon's South Pole this week, yet a loss of control led to a crash on Sunday. Similarly, India's prior lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, faced a setback during its approach two years ago due to a technical manoeuvre failure during its bid for a vertical landing position. This time, these issues have been meticulously addressed.

The lunar south pole has garnered immense significance since India's first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, discovered traces of ice molecules in the area in 2008. The potential presence of water on the Moon holds great promise for future planetary and Martian explorations, shedding light on its history, including aspects like ancient volcanoes and oceans.

This invaluable resource could be utilised for multiple purposes, including drinking and equipment cooling. The region might even contain other volatiles such as methane and ammonia. Additionally, the south pole's exploration could provide insights into the early days of the solar system.

Notably, both the United States and China have also slated missions to the Moon's south pole, further emphasizing the region's compelling scientific potential.