India’s historic lunar space rover beams back first videos of the Moon’s South Pole
Published on Aug 29, 2023 at 1:51 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Sep 19, 2023 at 3:24 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
India is taking humanity on our first-ever trip to the South Pole of the Moon.
After reaching a side of the Moon that had never been explored before, they’re now sending back images and South Pole’s videos.
And they’re breath-taking.
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The first clip shared by ISRO shows the lunar rover exiting the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft and ‘walking’ on the moon.
Other pictures show data from the mission’s instruments, and more images of the lunar rover.
The second clip that ISRO uploaded to Twitter / X shows the rover driving away, moving almost out of the lander’s sight.
More images were shared today as the rover encountered a large crater and had to change its course because of it.
ISRO said they wanted to A, prove that India could reach the Moon and B, conduct “in-site scientific experiments”.
One such experiment was showcased on Twitter / X.
Both the lander and rover are equipped to take measurements of the lunar environment.
The first experiment, dubbed ‘Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment’, shows drastic temperature changes between the surface of the South Pole of the Moon and the temperature beneath the soil.
The lowest temperature, which is -10 degrees Celsius, is recorded 80 mm (3 in) beneath the surface.
India’s Space Agency, known as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), managed to write the country’s name in the history books by becoming the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon.
And the crazy part is they did it on a budget.
India’s mission cost roughly $75 million.
For reference, there are space-themed Hollywood movies that cost a lot more than that.
Matt Damon’s The Martian cost $105 million, meanwhile Matthew McConaughey’s Interstellar was filmed on a budget of $165 million.
Sure, those movies were in HD while these South Pole’s videos we’re seeing are a bit grainy, but they’re a lot more significant.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
