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Elon Musk, the visionary leader behind Tesla and the wealthiest individual worldwide, recently expressed his views regarding India’s forthcoming lunar endeavor, Chandrayaan-3. Just a few hours prior to its anticipated Moon launch, Musk engaged on the social platform X (formerly Twitter), where he provided a response to a post that highlighted the budget allocation for the mission in relation to the acclaimed film Interstellar. In his reply, Musk lauded the undertaking, emphasizing its potential benefits for India.
The particular post that caught Musk’s attention spotlighted the financial commitment towards India’s lunar exploration, amounting to $75 million—a noteworthy contrast to the substantial $165 million invested in the production of the renowned cinematic masterpiece, Interstellar, which featured Matthew McConaughey. Musk’s acknowledgment and praise of the Chandrayaan-3 mission underscore its critical role within India’s rapidly advancing space exploration initiative.
Scheduled for a lunar touchdown on Wednesday evening, the Chandrayaan-3 mission places a significant focus on the Vikram lander, a vital element of India’s lunar exploration ambitions.
On the day of the launch, a report by Reuters indicated that the Chandrayaan-3 project’s budget totaled $75 million, approximately equating to Rs 615 crore in Indian currency. Additional insights from an ANI report clarified that the approved cost for Chandrayaan-3 stood at Rs 250 crore, with launch vehicle expenses excluded. A conversion from dollars to rupees revealed that the Interstellar project incurred an estimated cost of around Rs 1,200 crore.
Chandrayaan-3 stands as the eagerly awaited third lunar exploration mission by ISRO, succeeding the groundbreaking Chandrayaan-2 initiative that garnered global acclaim for its noteworthy contributions to space exploration. With its imminent launch, the Chandrayaan-3 mission aspires to deepen our comprehension of lunar topography and its intricate features.
As outlined by ISRO, the mission encompasses three core objectives: showcasing a secure and gentle lunar landing, demonstrating the mobility of a lunar rover, and conducting scientific experiments on the Moon’s surface. Musk’s acknowledgment of the mission’s significance further underscores its prominence on the global stage of space exploration.