Huge projects are always a fascinating subject, and the past week brought contrasting news about two monumental projects that shared the same goal: getting a rover to the Moon's south pole.
What do the outcomes of these projects teach us about project management?
1️⃣ Russia's lunar mission: Lessons from Failure
An ambitious but failed attempt by Russia to return to the moon after nearly half a century gives us some important insights.
Lost in Time: Knowledge Management and the Half-Century Gap
The extensive gap in lunar research and the loss of experience since the last mission in 1976 were key reasons for the failure. This underscores the value of retaining knowledgeable staff and applying lessons learned from previous projects.
"The valuable experience gained by our predecessors in the 1960s and 70s was essentially lost."
Collaboration Up in Flames: Geopolitics and Partnerships
During the Luna-25 project, Roscosmos collaborated with the European Space Agency (ESA) for a landing-assisting camera. However, the partnership was halted due to geopolitical reasons after Ukraine's invasion in February 2022 and this disruption had a negative impact on the project. Effective collaboration and partnerships are vital in complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.
When Risk Overrides Caution: Governance and Decision-making
A researcher with the Moscow-based Institute for Space Research, told the state RIA Novosti agency that signs of equipment problems had appeared even before the crash, but space officials still gave the green light for landing. Neglecting recognized risks while rushing to meet timelines can result in catastrophic consequences.
2️⃣ Indian Lunar Mission: Rising from Setbacks
Like many intricate projects, success often emerges from the foundation of previous failures.
Turning Failure into Triumph: Learning from Chandrayaan-2
ISRO's previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2, failed in 2019. Drawing from this setback, ISRO adjusted and improved their approach to enhance the chances of a successful landing. This highlights the significance of learning from past errors and using those insights to improve project outcomes.
Conquering Lunar Challenges: Risk Management for Success
The intricate terrain and challenges of landing on the Moon's south pole pose risks to the project. ISRO tackled these risks by expanding the potential landing zone, providing the lander with extra fuel, and reinforcing the landing legs. Effective risk management is pivotal for ensuring project success.
Lastly, while the main milestones of Chandrayaan-3's journey have little or nothing to tell us about project management, but they certainly make for an engaging read.
Scope Creep
From the myriad of moon-themed songs, the most appropriate is Elton John's Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
The subtitle is highly relevant, as it took much longer to reach the moon than the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 70s. To put it in perspective, Apollo 11 could have made it 5 times back and forth in the time it took Chandrayaan-3 for this mission! The reason is that India has used rockets much less powerful than the US did back then. Instead, the probe orbited Earth several times to gain speed before embarking on its month-long lunar trajectory.