Chandrayaan 3: India's Next Giant Leap in Lunar Exploration

 

Chandrayaan-3: What is it?

India's third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, was carried out by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). This mission's primary objective is to send a rover to the moon's surface, where it will stay for around one lunar day—equivalent to 14 Earth days—of operation. From within the lander, the diminutive rover, which only weighs 26 kilograms (57 pounds), will investigate the lunar surface. The lander and rover are both outfitted with tools for researching the lunar surface.

  Integration of the Chandrayaan-3 Launch Vehicle: The lander for Chandrayaan-3 will be attached to the propulsion module and launched into lunar orbit with the rover inside. The spacecraft is protected by the rocket's aeroshell fairings during launch. The lander and rover on Chandrayaan-3 are comparable to those on Chandrayaan-2. The Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander safely approached the lunar surface in September 2019 and entered a "soft braking" mode in an effort to make a controlled touchdown. Chandrayaan-3, like its predecessor Chandrayaan-2, will focus on the southern hemisphere of the moon, where permanently shadowed regions have been shown to contain ice.

     Vikram unfortunately strayed from its intended course as a result of a technical malfunction, and ISRO lost contact with the spacecraft. Later, the rover's remains were discovered by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter around 750 meters (half a mile) from the intended landing area.

 Despite obstacles, the operation wasn't a complete failure. The orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 continued to operate, making aerial images of the moon.

How will Chandrayaan-3 get to the surface of the moon?

        Chandrayaan-3 is scheduled to land on the moon in about 40 days from launch to touchdown. The LVM3 rocket from India, a heavy-lifting rocket with the capacity to deliver around 8 metric tons into low-Earth orbit, was used to launch the mission on July 14. (By way of reference, the Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX is capable of launching about 23 metric tons into low-Earth orbit.

  The LVM3 spacecraft will be placed in an extended Earth orbit at an apogee, or high point, which will be about 36,500 kilometers (22,700 miles) above the planet's surface. A propulsion module will be attached to the apogee. The propulsion module will perform a number of maneuvers to boost its orbit before transferring to the lunar orbit.

      The propulsion module will reduce Chandrayaan-3's class until it achieves an orbit of 100 kilometers (62 miles) in diameter. The lander will next detach from the orbiter and fly toward the moon's south pole in preparation for a moon landing. The lander will need to descend vertically at a rate of less than 2 meters per second and laterally at a rate of around 0.5 meters per second (about 6.5 and 1.6 feet per second, respectively) during the final seconds of communication.                Consequently, Chandrayaan-3 will eventually make a gradual descent onto the lunar surface as a result of this intricate and carefully thought-out series of events.

Chandrayaan 3 landing site : The southern pole region of the moon, which is visible from Earth as the lower-right side of the moon, is where Chandrayaan-3's landing location is situated.

What will Chandrayaan-3 do on the Moon?

For ISRO, a successful landing would be a noteworthy accomplishment, adding them to the elite club of countries that have successfully landed spacecraft on other planets. Beyond this accomplishment, Chandrayaan-3 demonstrates the mission's technological and scientific prowess.

  The Chandrayaan-3 lander's side panel will open as soon as it touches down, forming a ramp for the rover to descend. The rover will then poke its head out of the lander's belly and begin investigating the lunar terrain.

The lander and rover, which are solar-powered, will have around two weeks to explore their surroundings. The incredibly chilly lunar nights are not something they are made to withstand. Only the lander and the rover can interact; the lander then talks to Earth directly.

Latest Updates :

Sours page -ISRO official page

July 06, 2023

    The launch will take place on July 14th, 2023, at 14:35. The ISRO mission will use SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota's second launch pad.

July 07, 2023

     Vehicle electrical tests completed.

July 11, 2023

  The 'Launch Rehearsal', which simulated the whole launch preparation and process over the course of 24 hours, is now complete.

July 14, 2023

   Chandrayaan-3 was successfully put into orbit by the LVM3 M4 vehicle .Health of the Spacecraft is normal.

July 15, 2023

At ISTRAC/ISRO, Bengaluru, the first orbit-raising maneuver (Earthbound firing-1) is carried out successfully. Current orbit of the spacecraft is 41762 km by 173 km.

July 17, 2023

  The second orbit-raising maneuver performed. Currently, the spacecraft is orbiting at 41603 km by 226 km.

July 22, 2023

  Earth-bound perigee firing, the fourth orbit-raising maneuver, has been finished. Currently, the spacecraft is orbiting at 71351 km x 233 km.

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