India is on track to attempt becoming the fourth country to land on the moon.
The Indian Space Research Organisation said Monday its unmanned module, Chandrayaan-2, successfully detached from an orbiting spacecraft and that both the orbiter and lander are “healthy,” the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.
The module launched from Australia on July 22 and has been making its way toward the moon. ISRO said they are now preparing for the Sept. 7 landing of the module near the moon’s south pole, what they are dubbing “15 minutes of terror.”
If they succeed, they will join Russia, the U.S. and China in the ranks of countries who have successfully completed a moon landing.
University of Southern Queensland Astronomer Jonti Horner told ABC the landing will usher in a new generation of space travel.
“It’s nice and refreshing to see that India and China are doing such great work in space because astronomy and space exploration is a global endeavor,” he said. “For a new nation to actually land on the surface of the moon is quite an achievement.”
The lander holds three sensors to document the moon’s surface, reflectors and a small rover that will monitor the moon’s chemical composition.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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