NASA Veteran Mike Massimino Hails Chandrayaan-3, Calls It A Breakthrough For Moon's Water Hunt!

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino praised India's Chandrayaan-3 mission for its remarkable contribution to global space exploration while engaging with students of PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya in New Delhi on Thursday.

Chandrayaan-3's impact on lunar exploration

Interacting with young minds, Mike Massimino highlighted the Chandrayaan-3 mission's technical challenges and scientific breakthroughs, particularly its historic landing near the Moon's South Pole. He said the feat not only strengthened India's position in the space community but also provided crucial insights into lunar water sources-key for future deep-space habitation.

“The Moon's South Pole has been a challenging terrain for landing missions, and India's success with Chandrayaan-3 is a major step forward,” Massimino remarked.

He explained that the discovery of water ice in this region could play a pivotal role in sustaining human presence on the Moon and, eventually, facilitate long-duration space missions to Mars and beyond.

Space exploration thrives on global cooperation

Now a professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University and a senior advisor at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the astronaut underscored the importance of international collaboration in space exploration.

He cited the Chandrayaan-3 mission as an example of scientific and engineering ingenuity that benefits the entire global space community.“Space exploration is no longer about competition; it is about cooperation,” he stated, adding that missions like Chandrayaan-3 open new avenues for shared knowledge and technological advancements.

AI's role in future space travel

Discussing the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in future space travel, Massimino said AI would enhance efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness in upcoming space missions. When asked about human settlement on other planets, he predicted that a sustainable human presence on the Moon could become a reality in the near future, while settling on Mars would take longer due to the formidable technological challenges that remain.

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