Thiruvananthapuram: Amidst nationwide jubilation following Chandrayaan-3's historic touchdown on the lunar south pole, G Madhavan Nair, former ISRO chairman, shed light on the unassuming lives of scientists at the esteemed space agency, emphasizing that they have achieved this groundbreaking feat on a mere fifth of the salary of their counterparts in developed countries. Nair highlighted that the comparatively modest compensation for ISRO scientists played a pivotal role in driving cost-effective solutions for space exploration.


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Citing Nair's words, "The remuneration received by ISRO's scientists, technicians, and support staff is scarcely a fifth of the global standard. This discrepancy provides us with an advantageous edge," as quoted by PTI news agency. He underscored ISRO's history of exploring space with budget-friendly methods.


Nair dispelled the notion of millionaire scientists within ISRO, noting that their lives remain grounded and ordinary. "Their focus isn't primarily on monetary gain; their devotion and commitment to their mission take precedence. This mindset has propelled us to greater heights," Nair remarked.


He elaborated that ISRO scientists accomplished this feat through meticulous planning and a long-term outlook. "We built upon each achievement. Our past experiences informed subsequent missions. In fact, the engine developed nearly three decades ago for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is the same one used in the GSLV today," Nair explained.


India's reliance on indigenous technology for space missions, he emphasized, significantly slashed costs. Nair asserted that India's space endeavors cost 50 to 60 percent less compared to other nations' missions.


Nair regarded Chandrayaan-3's success as the first stride toward India's planetary explorations. "We've broken the initial barrier and embarked on a promising journey," he declared.


The former ISRO chief disclosed that India's collaboration with Europe and America had already yielded several commercial contracts, which are set to expand following Chandrayaan-3's triumph.


"The global community will undoubtedly recognize our technical prowess and the quality of our launch systems and spacecraft. International collaboration has always been a cornerstone of India's space program, and it will only grow stronger," he affirmed.


According to ISRO, the total cost of Chandrayaan-3 stands at a mere Rs 615 crore, roughly equivalent to the production budget of a Bollywood movie in the country.


India’s Chandrayaan-3 Lands On Moon, Scripts History


 


In a monumental stride for India's space endeavours, Chandrayaan-3, the country's lunar mission, elegantly touched down on the moon's southern pole at 6:04 PM on Wednesday. This feat propels India into an exclusive club of four nations and secures its place as the first to successfully land on this uncharted lunar terrain.


With this accomplishment, India became the fourth nation, following the US, China, and the erstwhile Soviet Union, to master the intricacies of soft landing on the moon. Notably, no country has previously touched down on the challenging South Pole, believed by scientists to hold crucial reservoirs of frozen water and valuable elements. Russia's Luna-25, aimed at the lunar south pole, recently crashed due to instability.


Embarking on its second lunar journey in four years, Chandrayaan-3's four-legged lander, Vikram, carrying the 26-kg rover Pragyan, executed a flawless soft landing near the moon's southern polar region at 6:04 PM. ISRO scientists deftly navigated the nerve-wracking "20 minutes of terror" during the critical powered descent, initiated at 5:44 PM.


Shortly after the successful landing, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the establishment of communication links between the lander and ISRO's Mission Operations Complex (MOX) in Bengaluru.


The space agency unveiled images captured by the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC) during the descent to the lunar surface. Amidst celebrations at MOX, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, virtually witnessing the culmination of this space odyssey from South Africa, lauded the scientists for their dedication, asserting that India's lunar triumph heralds progress not just for the nation, but for humanity at large.