Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3 had a controlled descent, making it one of the closest approaches to the moon's South Pole.
Unlike previous missions, Vikram landed on the moon's near side, while China's Chang'e 4 mission landed on the far side.
Moon's Near and Far Sides:
The near side (60% visible) is always visible from Earth due to the moon's rotation synchronizing with its orbit.
The far side was hidden until Luna 3 photographed it in 1959.
The "dark side" is only "dark" in the sense of being less explored, not permanently in darkness.
Differences Between Near and Far Sides:
Near side is smoother with more volcanic plains ("maria").
Far side has vast craters from asteroid impacts.
Thinner crust on the near side led to more extensive volcanic lava flows and smoother plains.
Chandrayaan-3's Landing and South Pole:
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram landed closest to the lunar South Pole, around 600 km away.
Chosen for proximity to a "permanently shadowed region" with potential water-ice and valuable resources.
Vikram wasn't in complete shadow to keep solar batteries charged.
Reasons for Near Side Landing:
Controlled "soft landing" was primary goal.
Near side allowed line-of-sight communication with Earth, vital for real-time updates.
Landing on far side would require relays, causing communication delays.
Objectives of the mission determine landing location choice.
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