The race to explore the south pole of the moon has officially begun, igniting a new era of lunar exploration and competition. Countries such as India, China, and Russia, along with the United States, are vying to establish a foothold on the moon, specifically in Antarctica, where the possibility of water has been discovered.
The strategic value of the moon has been recognized since 2008 when India’s lunar orbiter, Chandrayaan 1, confirmed the presence of water and ice on the lunar surface. Chinese researchers have also announced the existence of thousands of tons of water based on their lunar soil analysis. Water is considered a crucial resource for future lunar bases, as it can be used for drinking water, cooling equipment, and even as rocket fuel for further space exploration. Additionally, the moon is believed to contain rare resources such as helium-3, which is a valuable material for nuclear fusion, and rare earth elements.
However, landing in Antarctica presents unique challenges compared to other areas of the moon. The region is dark, rugged, and difficult to navigate due to its shadowed and uneven topography. The surface is littered with craters and rocks, making landing more complex.
India is currently poised to make its mark in lunar exploration with its third unmanned probe, Chandrayaan-3. The spacecraft successfully entered lunar orbit and is scheduled to attempt a landing on the moon’s south pole. If successful, India will become the fourth country to achieve a moon landing, joining the ranks of the Soviet Union, the United States, and China.
Not to be outdone, the United States is also planning manned missions to Antarctica. NASA has launched the Artemis program, aiming to send astronauts back to the moon. China, on the other hand, is accelerating its space advancements with plans for lunar exploration and potentially manned landings by local astronauts.
Private companies are also joining the competition. Houston-based Intuitive Machine aims to be the first private company to land on the moon with its Nova-C lunar lander. Astrobototic Technology plans to send a rover to Antarctica to assess water resources, while Tokyo-based iSpace experienced a setback in their mission due to fuel limitations.
The renewed interest in lunar exploration marks a significant milestone in space exploration. Countries and private companies alike are recognizing the moon’s potential as a strategic and resource-rich destination. As the competition intensifies, the future of lunar exploration appears promising, with the possibility of establishing a permanent human presence on the moon within reach.
By Kim In-yeop
International
Enter2023.08.22 11:30 Edit2023.08.22 11:48
The race to explore the south pole of the moon has begun
2008 Indian explorer discovers the possibility of water in Antarctica
In 2020, Chinese researchers announced “there are thousands of tons of water”
It can be used as fuel for building a moon base and exploring the solar systemAntarctica is dark and rugged, making landing difficult
India’s Chandrayaan-3 challenge after Russia’s Luna-25 failure
Intense competition for space exploration in the USA’s Project Artemis
As early as November, the first private company to land on the moon could be successful
Russian scientists place the lunar probe Luna 25 in the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur region on the 13th of last month. The first Russian lunar probe launched in 47 years, Luna 25, crashed on the lunar surface on the 11th and failed its mission. Russian Space Agency/AFP The lunar exploration competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War has reignited. This time, the aim is to establish a beachhead to be explored by landing in Antarctica, where there is a possibility of water. New countries such as India and China also took part in the war, and the competition intensified.
‘Space race’ after half a century with the discovery of Antarctic water
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 21st (local time) that “a new race has begun to reach the moon and find water.” On the 11th, the unmanned probe Luna 25, launched by Russia to observe the south pole of the moon, crashed on the surface of the moon and caused a big wave around the world. It was Russia’s first attempt to explore the moon in 47 years since the Cold War. Why did Russia launch a lunar probe again after half a century? If the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War was a competition to demonstrate systemic superiority, the scientific community evaluates that it is now primarily aimed at securing territories and resources in the future .
The strategic value of the moon increased in 2008 with one photo sent by India’s lunar orbiter Chandrayaan 1. The possibility that layers of water and ice could exist on the moon was confirmed. Chinese researchers also announced in March that thousands of tons of water would exist on the moon based on the results of lunar soil analysis collected by China’s Chang’e-5 unmanned probe in 2020. On the 11th, the Soyuz rocket- 2.1b carrying the lunar probe Luna 25 is launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur, Russia. Reuters and NASA consider water as a key resource for building future lunar bases. It could be used for drinking water or cooling equipment, or it could be used to make rocket fuel for journeys further out in the solar system. It is estimated that the moon is also rich in rare resources such as helium isotope (helium-3), raw material for nuclear fusion, and rare earth elements. However, the most obvious assessment is that landing in Antarctica is much more difficult than in other parts of the moon. The surface of the moon where the American astronaut Neil Armstrong landed in 1969 was on the sun side, but a shadow was cast over the south pole, making it relatively dark and difficult to distinguish between the topography. In addition, there are more craters and rocks, so the difficulty of landing is high.
Will India succeed in its fourth moon landing and first Antarctic exploration?
Following Luna 25, another lunar probe challenges the conquest of Antarctica. It is India’s third unmanned probe, Chandrayaan-3.
Chandrayaan 3 was successfully launched on the 26th of last month from the Sriharikota Space Center in Andhra Pradesh, south India. It entered lunar orbit on the 5th and plans to attempt to land on the south pole of the moon on the 23rd and 24th. If Chandrayaan-3 is successful in its mission, India will be the fourth country in the world to successfully land on the moon after the Soviet Union, the United States and China. A lunar image sent to Earth the next day by Chandrayaan-3, an Indian lunar probe that entered lunar orbit on the 5th. Chandrayaan 3 will attempt to land on the south pole of the moon on the 23rd. Reuters / Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) The United States, a traditional space power, also plans to send astronauts to Antarctica. NASA, which launched the unmanned Artemis 1 probe into lunar orbit late last year and received information, is promoting a manned flight of the Artemis 2 probe with four crew members in November next year. The aim is to send Artemis 3 in 2025 to allow astronauts to step on the surface of the moon. If the plan is realized, mankind will set foot on the moon again for the first time in 53 years since the Apollo project.
China, too, is accelerating its ‘space advance’. China, which has landed three unmanned probes on the moon in the past 10 years, plans to launch Chang’e 6 and 7 to explore the moon’s south pole in 2024. By 2030, the aim is to attempt a lunar landing by local astronauts.
The competition among private companies is also fierce. Houston-based space company Intuitive Machine plans to be the first private company to plant a flag on the moon by burning the Nova-C lunar lander aboard the SpaceX spacecraft in November. Pittsburgh-based Astrobototic Technology plans to send a rover to Antarctica to measure the moon’s water resources next year. Tokyo-based iSpace planned to land a lander on the moon’s northern hemisphere in April, but the mission failed due to a lack of fuel.
Correspondent Kim In-yeop inside@hankyung.com
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