India's Lunar Ambitions: Chandrayaan-3 and Laser Tracking
India is set to launch its Chandrayaan-3 mission on July 14, aiming to become the fourth country to achieve a controlled lunar landing. The mission will deploy a lander and rover near the Moon's south pole, a region of special interest due to its unique geology and potential for sampling Moon ice. The previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2, experienced a software error that caused the lander to crash. Chandrayaan-3 has undergone software and hardware improvements, including changes to the lander thrusters. The mission is seen as a critical step towards future manned and robotic operations on the Moon, showcasing India's growing geopolitical ambitions.
