Here is everything you need to know about the Chandrayaan-3 mission as we wait for it to make a soft landing on the moon today.
If everything goes according to plan, India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, will soft-land on the moon in a few hours. India’s second effort to set foot on the moon is now. A technical issue caused Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander to fall onto the moon’s surface in 2019.
Scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have changed the Chandrayaan-3’s systems in light of the crash-landing’s lessons. At 6:04 PM (IST), the landing is anticipated to take place.
India will become just the fourth nation to land softly on the moon after the US, China, and Soviet Union if Chandrayaan-3 does so. It’s interesting to note that on August 20, 2023, Russia attempted to land on the moon. The Luna-25 spacecraft, however, lost control and impacted the moon’s surface.
What should you expect?
The propulsion module and the lander rover module are the two primary components of the spacecraft LVM3. The lander and rover payload are carried to the moon by the propulsion module.
This lander’s name is Vikram, and the rover’s name is Pragyan, just like Chandrayaan-2. The lander separates from the propulsion module once it is close to the moon and gently falls to the lunar surface. The rover will explore the moon’s surface while crawling and carrying out experiments with a variety of tools. These include examining lunar quakes, assessing the moon’s soil, and researching subsurface heat conduction.
Timeline
On July 14, 2023, the 43.5-meter-tall LVM3 rocket launched from ISRO’s launch facility at Sriharikota, an island off the coast of Andhra Pradesh, giving the mission a flawless start. The first orbit raising manoeuvre was completed on July 15, 2023.
Between July 16 and July 31, three orbit raising manoeuvres were successfully carried out. Chandrayaan-3 was launched on August 1, 2023, and its successful insertion into a translunar orbit was verified on August 5, 2023.
Later, on August 9, the ISRO modified Chandrayaan-3’s trajectory to achieve a superior lunar orbit of 174 km by 1437 km. India’s lunar mission got closer to the moon’s surface on August 14, 2023. The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover were cut loose from its propulsion system on August 17, 2023. The de-boosting operation was later determined to have been successful on August 18, 2023.
Objectives
There are three goals for the mission. first, to show off the moon soft-landing capability. The second goal is to show off the moon-mobility of the Vikram rover. Thirdly, ISRO wants to carry out in-situ research projects.
Chandrayaan-2 was unable to land softly on the moon because the lander, Vikram, was unable to maintain contact with ground stations. A valve failure that decreased flow into the engines was the cause of this. The ISRO, however, has concentrated on trajectory modifications, rotation speed control, and thrust control this time to ensure a flawless landing.
What is the Chandrayaan-3 mission?
Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third lunar mission aimed at achieving a soft landing on the moon’s surface. It follows Chandrayaan-2, which faced a technical issue causing its lander to crash-land in 2019. Chandrayaan-3 has been designed with lessons from the previous mission’s failure to ensure a successful soft landing.
When is Chandrayaan-3 expected to land on the moon?
If all goes according to plan, Chandrayaan-3 is expected to make a soft landing on the moon in a few hours from now. The anticipated landing time is 6:04 PM (IST).
What was the issue with Chandrayaan-2’s landing?
Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander crash-landed on the moon’s surface in 2019 due to a technical issue. This setback led to the reevaluation and redesign of systems for Chandrayaan-3.
What changes have been made for Chandrayaan-3?
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has incorporated lessons from Chandrayaan-2’s landing failure into Chandrayaan-3’s design. These changes aim to enhance the mission’s chances of achieving a successful soft landing.
How significant is a successful landing for India?
If Chandrayaan-3 achieves a soft landing on the moon, India will become the fourth nation, after the US, China, and the Soviet Union, to accomplish this feat. The successful landing would mark a significant achievement in India’s space exploration efforts.
