India In Focus -INDIAN ECONOMY: OVERVIEW, GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT - Why last 15 minutes of lander Vikram are most crucial?

In less than 13 hours, the Chandrayaan-2 mission's lander Vikram is going to enter the most challenging phase of its journey as it attempts to soft land near the Moon's hitherto unexplored south pole. In fact, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has described it as "15 minutes of terror". According to the space agency, the lander hopes to touch down in a high plain between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N.

The 1,471 kg lander successfully separated from the orbiter on Monday and began revolving around the Moon, lowering its orbit over two manoeuvres and performing several pre-landing tests.

According to ISRO Chairman K. Sivan, the final descent is going to be terrifying as the agency has not done it before. "It is for the first time we are going to another body where there is no atmosphere and using the propulsion system we will have to break the velocity and bring the vehicle safely to soft land. To achieve this we will have to balance between...