RAS question
Chandrayaan-3 landed near which region of the Moon?
Correct answer: (D) South polar region.
Chandrayaan-3 landed near the Moon's south polar region, at Shiv Shakti station around 69.37° S latitude.
Explanation
Chandrayaan-3 is linked to the Moon's south polar region because ISRO places its landing site, Shiv Shakti station, at 69.37° S, 32.32° E in the southern high-latitude highlands of the Moon's nearside. The 69.37° S latitude alone rules out an equatorial landing and points to a high southern location. This matters scientifically because the south polar region is associated with permanently shadowed craters where water ice may be present. ISRO's account also notes that Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover measured the surface composition at this previously unexplored location, underlining why the landing site is treated as a major science milestone rather than just a navigational achievement.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The lunar equator is wrong because the landing latitude is about 69.37° S, far into the Moon's southern high latitudes.
- (B) The far side of the Moon is wrong because ISRO describes Shiv Shakti station as being in the southern high-latitude highlands of the Moon's nearside.
- (C) Mare Tranquillitatis is wrong because it is associated with Apollo 11, while Chandrayaan-3's site was near the south polar region.
Concept
This tests India's lunar exploration programme under Science and Technology, especially how a mission site is tied to a scientific objective. The point links Chandrayaan-3, lunar geography, and the south polar region's water-ice relevance.