Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission, has commenced its momentous journey towards the moon. On July 14, the propulsion unit, robotic lander, and rover of Chandrayaan-3 were launched from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission aims to achieve a safe soft landing on the moon, scheduled for either August 23 or August 24. Success would position India as the fourth nation to successfully land a probe on the moon, following the Soviet Union, the United States, and China.

Objectives of Chandrayaan-3

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the operator of Chandrayaan-3, has outlined three primary objectives for this mission. First, the mission aims to execute a secure soft landing near the lunar south pole. Second, it aims to deploy a rover and demonstrate its operational capabilities. Finally, the mission seeks to conduct in-situ scientific experiments over the course of a single lunar day, equivalent to approximately 14 Earth days. The estimated cost of the mission is around $77 million USD.

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Phases of the Lunar Journey

ISRO has divided Chandrayaan-3’s approximately 40-day journey to the moon into three distinct phases. The first phase, known as the Earth-centric phase, involves the spacecraft departing from Earth. The second phase, the lunar transfer phase, involves the spacecraft manoeuvring towards the moon. Finally, the moon-centric phase begins as the spacecraft enters the moon’s sphere of influence and prepares for the landing.

The Complex Lunar Landing Process

Unlike spacecraft returning to Earth, lunar landings require a more intricate approach due to the moon’s wispy atmosphere. Chandrayaan-3 will perform an engine burn to establish a circular orbit around 62 miles (100 kilometres) above the lunar surface. Subsequently, the lander and rover will separate from the propulsion module. The lander will gently touch down in the moon’s south polar region, ensuring a speed of less than 5 mph (8 kph). The propulsion module will remain in lunar orbit to maintain communication with the lander and rover.

Improvements Since Chandrayaan-2

Following the lunar touchdown failure of the Chandrayaan-2 mission in September 2019, ISRO has implemented significant improvements for Chandrayaan-3. These enhancements include strengthening the lander’s legs, increasing landing-speed tolerance, and incorporating new sensors to measure approach speed. The mission has also incorporated the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter as a backup communications relay.

The Road Ahead

The anticipated landing window for Chandrayaan-3 is August 23 or August 24, aligning with the sunrise on the moon. This timeframe provides an optimal 14 to 15 days for operational activities. If landing cannot be achieved on these dates, the mission will wait for another month and aim for a September landing. Once a successful landing occurs, the Chandrayaan-3 rover will begin its exploratory tasks. Concurrently, a passive experiment called the LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA), contributed by NASA, will collect data to enhance understanding of the moon system’s dynamics.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission represents a significant stride in lunar exploration, with the potential to unveil valuable insights about the moon’s composition and characteristics.

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New Confirmation of Equivalence Principle: Groundbreaking Research Reveals Consistency Between Mass Properties. In fundamental physics, the concept of the equivalence principle holds immense importance. It postulates that mass properties such as weight, inertia, and gravitation maintain consistent relationships with each other. This principle forms the foundation of Einstein’s theory of relativity and is integral to our current understanding of physics. Any contradiction to this principle would necessitate a complete rewrite of existing physics textbooks.

Quantum Theory’s Challenge to Equivalence

While previous measurements have consistently supported the equivalence principle, quantum theory suggests the possibility of a violation. This discrepancy between Einstein’s gravitational theory and modern quantum theory underscores the need for more precise tests of the equivalence principle.

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Breakthrough Research Validates Equivalence

A groundbreaking collaboration between the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) at the University of Bremen and the Institute of Geodesy (IfE) at Leibniz University Hannover has successfully demonstrated, with exceptional accuracy, the perpetual equivalence of passive gravitational mass and active gravitational mass. This conclusion holds true regardless of the specific composition of the masses involved. The research, conducted as part of the “QuantumFrontiers” Cluster of Excellence, was recently published in a highlights article in the esteemed scientific journal Physical Review Letters.

Understanding Inertial, Passive, and Active Gravitational Mass

Inertial mass pertains to an object’s resistance to acceleration. For instance, when a car starts, it is the inertial mass that causes you to be pressed back into your seat. Passive gravitational mass, on the other hand, corresponds to an object’s response to gravity, resulting in the weight we experience on Earth. The active gravitational mass signifies the gravitational force exerted by an object or, more precisely, the magnitude of its gravitational field. The equivalence of these properties is a fundamental principle in general relativity, leading to the need for increasingly precise tests.

Lunar Laser Ranging: A Method for Measurement

To examine the potential disparity between passive and active gravitational mass, researchers relied on “Lunar Laser Ranging.” This technique involves directing lasers from Earth towards reflectors on the Moon, which were placed there by missions like Apollo and the Soviet Luna program. By recording the round-trip travel times of the laser beams, any hypothetical acceleration due to mass differences can be measured accurately.

Unveiling Unprecedented Accuracy

The research team meticulously analyzed data obtained from “Lunar Laser Ranging” spanning over 50 years, from 1970 to 2022. Their investigation focused on detecting any effects resulting from mass discrepancies. Remarkably, no such effect was discovered. This finding indicates that passive and active gravitational masses are equivalent to an astonishing precision of approximately 14 decimal places. This estimation marks a significant improvement, being a hundred times more accurate than the best previous study conducted in 1986.

Promising Implications for Fundamental Physics

The confirmation of the perpetual equivalence between passive and active gravitational masses carries profound implications for our understanding of fundamental physics. The research conducted by the collaborative team from ZARM and IfE serves as a notable milestone in the quest for greater precision and consistency in testing the equivalence principle.

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Tesla’s Plans for a Manufacturing Plant

Tesla has announced its intention to build a manufacturing plant in India that will produce an affordable electric car priced under $25,000. This move is fueled by India’s position as the world’s largest country by population and the fourth-largest market for new cars. Furthermore, India has recently discovered significant lithium deposits, which could position it as a major player in the electric vehicle (EV) revolution.

BYD’s Battery Factory Investment

BYD, currently the second-largest manufacturer of pure electric vehicles globally and the largest producer of plugin vehicles, is also eyeing the Indian market. It has submitted a $1 billion investment proposal to establish a battery factory and manufacture electric cars in collaboration with Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructures. BYD already sells its Atto 3 SUV and e6 sedan to corporate fleets in India, with plans to introduce the luxury electric sedan, Seal, later this year. In the long run, BYD aims to manufacture a range of electric cars in India, spanning from hatchbacks to luxury models.

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India’s Import Duties and Local Partnerships

Similar to China, India imposes import duties of up to 100% on foreign-made vehicles and encourages joint ventures with local businesses. While BYD complies with this requirement by partnering with Megha Engineering, Tesla has seemingly managed to navigate these regulations, just as it did in China with its Shanghai factory. This policy has compelled Chinese automakers, such as Great Wall Motor and SAIC’s MG Motor division, to seek local partnerships or abandon investment plans in India.

Future Prospects and Challenges

The production capacity of BYD’s new factory in India remains unknown, but sources suggest it aims to scale up production to 100,000 EVs annually over the next few years. Initially, it plans to import vehicle components and assemble them within the country while establishing a local supply chain. Additionally, the investment proposal includes plans for charging stations, research and development centres, and training facilities. While India’s investment controls pose challenges, the entry of Tesla and BYD into the Indian market signals promising growth and opportunities for the country’s electric vehicle sector.

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Introduction of the AI Programme

In commemoration of World Youth Skills Day, the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, launched an artificial intelligence (AI) programme. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the National Council for Vocational Education and Skill, and GUVI—an Edutech startup incubated by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad. GUVI has developed this programme, which is available in nine Indian languages, marking a significant step in breaking the language barrier in technology education and empowering youth, particularly those in rural areas.

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Empowering Youth with Frontier Skills

The AI programme has been meticulously designed to equip youth with cutting-edge skills. Minister Pradhan emphasized that language should not limit technology and emphasized the need for technology courses in multiple Indian languages. The launch of this programme signifies an important milestone in dismantling language barriers in technology education, ensuring that India’s youth, especially those residing in rural areas, are future-proofed.

Expanding Language Options and Future Prospects

Minister Pradhan expressed his appreciation for the initiative and urged GUVI to curate courses in all Indian languages. This expansion will facilitate broader access to technology education and provide greater opportunities for students across the country. By breaking down language barriers, the AI programme aims to empower Indian youth and prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Conclusion

The launch of the AI programme on World Youth Skills’ Day highlights the government’s commitment to skill development and fostering technological literacy among Indian youth. By promoting inclusivity through multi-language courses, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between language and technology education, ensuring a brighter future for India’s “Yuva Shakti” (young workforce), particularly those in rural areas.

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