Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Chinese cosmochemist Ouyang Ziyuan has raised doubts about ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission's successful landing on the Moon's South Pole. This challenges India's historic achievement and has stirred controversy within the scientific community. Ouyang's comments have ignited a debate over the accuracy of Chandrayaan-3's landing site.
The root of this dispute lies in differing interpretations of what constitutes the Moon's southern pole region. Ouyang Ziyuan's perspective diverges from conventional definitions, both on Earth and the Moon, leading to conflicting assessments of the landing site.
“The landing site of the Chandrayaan-3 was not at the Moon’s south pole, not in the polar region of the Moon’s south pole, nor was it ‘near the Antarctic polar region’,” Ouyang, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told its official Science Times newspaper. He was the chief scientist of China’s first lunar mission.
To understand the controversy, it's crucial to recognise the distinctions between Earth's and the Moon's polar regions. While Earth's southern pole spans from 66.5 to 90 degrees south due to its tilt, Ouyang Ziyuan contends that the Moon's polar region is significantly smaller due to the Moon's minimal tilt, which is only 1.5 degrees.
NASA defines Moon's South Pole as ranging from 80 to 90 degrees, encompassing a relatively broad area. In contrast, Ouyang Ziyuan narrows down the definition, citing the Moon's 1.5-degree tilt, and argues that the polar region is limited to 88.5 to 90 degrees.
Despite the controversy sparked by Ouyang Ziyuan's remarks, it's essential to note that no prior challenges or disputes have arisen regarding India's successful Chandrayaan-3 mission. The mission has received recognition from prominent space agencies, including NASA and the European Space Agency.
India has consistently communicated that Chandrayaan-3's intended landing site was at approximately 70 degrees latitude, which is situated in close proximity to the Moon's South Pole. This latitude was clearly specified in the mission's objectives and plans.
Quentin Parker, a scientist from Hong Kong University's Laboratory for Space Research, has dismissed Ouyang Ziyuan's contentious claims. Parker emphasises the significance of landing a rover in the vicinity of the Moon's south pole and applauds India's remarkable accomplishment in lunar exploration.
Ouyang Ziyuan's startling claims have surfaced at a critical juncture when Indian scientists are diligently working to revive the Vikram lander and Pragyaan rover from their two-week-long hibernation during the lunar night.