Dubai: As Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed on the Moon on Wednesday to propel India into an elite group of nations, Indians living in the Gulf leapt with joy and expressed a collective sense of pride.
India made history on Wednesday as its Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 became the first to land in the uncharted south pole of the Earth’s only natural satellite.
Comprising the lander (Vikram) and the rover (Pragyan), India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar south pole at 6.04 pm. With this touchdown, India has become the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the lunar surface after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.
An entire nation erupted in joy as India scripted history.
Some Indians living in the Gulf also held their breath as Chandrayaan-3 inched closer to the lunar surface and remained glued to television screens while others followed the journey on social media.
“With an eye on the Moon, we Indians began our journey on Chandrayan-3, which has soared our aspirations high,” said Akif Naeem, Industrial Machinery Business Consultant (Oil & Gas), Jubail Industrial City. The Saudi-based India said that the mission has elevated the dreams and ambitions of every Indian.
“This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication,” Naeem said.
Those belonging to the science community took pride in the nation’s achievement, narrating the significance of the mission.
“The avionics system plays a vital role in any space mission,” said Mohammad Iqbal Abid, Avionics Supervisor and an ex-Air India Service Engineer.
According to Abid, the software glitch or its limitation has been improved compared to the last mission along with other parameters like reinforced landing legs, engine throttle and optimised engine configuration. “The Chandrayaan-3 has created history. We extend the best wishes for a completely successful mission and this is a proud moment for all Indians,” Abid said.
“Mission Chandrayan represented the spirit of India as a scientific and hardworking nation,” scientist Dr. Touseef Hussain said
“Chandrayan was not just a target mission, it’s a discovery of the mysterious solar system. India’s scientific temper has been acknowledged across the globe and this was another example,” he said.
Razi Khan, a Lead Electromagnetic Compatibility Test Engineer, said the Chandrayaan-3 mission had three goals.
“It needed to demonstrate a soft and safe landing on the Moon’s surface, to demonstrate a roving rover on the Moon, and to carry out in-situ scientific experiments to gather information for the scientific community on the characteristics of lunar soil and rocks, including their chemical and elemental compositions,” he said.
He said that today’s accomplishment will advance India’s quest to even better understand the solar system.
Banker Sarosh Asif gave a poetic touch to the triumph, invoking the famous Bollywood song of yesteryears: ‘Chalo dildaar chalo, Chaand ke paar chalo’.