Close up image of the moon

Khushboo Malhotra

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has embarked on its Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, hoping to be the first organisation to successfully make a soft landing on the lunar south pole.

The mission, which began on July 14th 2023, aims to further India’s space exploration endeavours and push the boundaries of lunar discovery. The Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to overcome the ISRO’s previous setbacks with Chandrayaan-2, which lost contact minutes before the lander was set to touch down.

The rocket launched from India’s main spaceport at 2:35 p.m. local time, as over 1.4 million people watched on ISRO’s YouTube channel, many offering congratulations with the patriotic slogan “Jai Hind.”

Taking Off Towards the Moon

Chandrayaan-3 took flight from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh, propelled by the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-MK III) heavy-lift rocket.

About 16 minutes after launch, ISRO’s mission control announced the rocket had succeeded in putting the Chandrayaan-3 lander into an Earth orbit that will direct it toward a moon landing next month.

As of the latest update on July 25th 2023, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has successfully completed its sixth orbit-raising manoeuvre, placing the spacecraft in an orbit where its closest distance to Earth is 288 km, while its farthest point is at a distance of 369,328 km. In this orbit, the spacecraft enters the Moon’s sphere of influence.

The Objectives of Chandrayaan-3

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is carrying many science payloads that will help scientists to better understand the Moon, paving the way for ambitious lunar missions in the years ahead. ISRO has outlined three major objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 mission:

1. Safe and Soft Landing

Chandrayaan-3 aims to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface; a goal shared with its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2.

In 2019, Chandrayaan-2 achieved a significant milestone by successfully placing the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover near the Moon’s south pole.

Though the Vikram lander encountered a mishap during the landing attempt, the ISRO has incorporated substantial improvements in Chandrayaan-3’s lander.

2. Rover Operations

Chandrayaan-3 carries a rover that will be deployed on the Moon’s surface to conduct various operations and collect valuable data, to aid scientific research and enhance human understanding of the lunar environment.

3. On-Site Experiments

On-site experiments on the lunar surface aim to provide valuable insights into the Moon’s geology, atmosphere, and potential resources.

Enhanced Lander and Payloads

According to S. Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, the Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3 is scheduled to make a soft landing on the Moon’s South Pole region on August 23rd at 5.47 p.m.

The spacecraft consists of three modules: the lander module, a propulsion module, and a rover module.

The propulsion module guides the spacecraft from an injection orbit around Earth to a 100-kilometre lunar orbit. Additionally, it carries a payload that will take spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from a lunar orbit.

The lander module carries scientific payloads, including RAMBHA-LP, ChaSTE, and ILSA, while the rover module carries APXS and LIBS instruments.

ISRO has made essential enhancements to the lander, including stronger landing legs, additional sensors, improved propulsion capabilities, and reduced its engines from five to four, to increase the chances of a successful landing.

Both the lander and rover have been designed to operate on the Moon’s surface for approximately 14 days.

Towards Lunar Exploration History

The Chandrayaan-3 mission has garnered worldwide attention and interest, with space enthusiasts, scientists, and policymakers eagerly following its progress.

The mission signifies a significant leap forward for India’s space exploration ambitions and its contributions to the global space community. If Chandrayaan-3 achieves its objectives, India will become the fourth country to successfully accomplish a soft landing on the Moon, joining the ranks of the United States, the former Soviet Union and China.

Chandrayaan-3 will also be the first spacecraft to land at the lunar south pole, an area of special interest for space agencies because of the presence of water ice that could support a space station in the future.

Looking ahead, the mission’s success would be a momentous achievement for ISRO and the nation as a whole, propelling India’s space program to new heights, and opening avenues for future international collaboration and scientific discoveries beyond Earth’s orbit.

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Featured image courtesy of  NASA on Unsplash. No changes made to this image. Image license found here.

Khushboo is a Twitter Editor at Empoword Journalism. She is an Award-nominated lifestyle and pop culture journalist, writer, and budding entrepreneur aiming to break down the boundaries of cultural stigma and shame attached to mental health and sexual health and bring marginalised topics to light. Send your stories, tips, and press announcements to khushboomalhotrafreelance@gmail.com

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