Chandrayaan – 3

Blog Credit: Trupti Thakur

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Chandrayaan-3 launch news | ISRO plans soft landing on August 23, payloads RAMBHA, ILSA to help understand Moon better

ISRO launched India’s third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 perched on GSLV Mark 3 heavy-lift launch vehicle, named ‘Bahubali’ rocket, at 2.35 p.m. from Sri Harikota.

 

Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).  It consists of a lander and the Pragyan rover similar to Chandrayaan-2, but does not have an orbiter. Its propulsion module behaves like a communication relay satellite. The propulsion module carries the lander and rover configuration until the spacecraft is in a 100 km lunar orbit.

Chandrayaan-2, where a last-minute glitch in the landing guidance software led to the lander crashing after entering lunar orbit, another lunar mission was proposed.

The launch of Chandrayaan-3 took place at 14 July 2023, at 2:35 pm IST and injection of 100 km circular polar orbit was completed successfully as part of phase one. The lander and rover is expected to land near the lunar south pole region on 23 August 2023.

Background

In the second phase of the Chandrayaan programme to demonstrate soft landing on the Moon, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-2 on board a Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM) launch vehicle consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover. The lander was scheduled to touchdown on the lunar surface in September 2019 to deploy the Pragyan rover.

Earlier reports had emerged about a collaboration with Japan on a mission to the lunar south pole where India would be providing the lander while Japan would provide both launcher and rover. The mission may include site sampling and lunar night survival technologies.

The subsequent failure of the Vikram lander led to the pursuit of another mission to demonstrate the landing capabilities needed for the Lunar Polar Exploration Misiion proposed in partnership with Japan for 2025. During mission critical flight operations, the European Space Tracking (ESTRACK) operated by European Space Agency (ESA) will support the mission according to a contract.

Objective

ISRO has set three main objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which include:

1. Getting a lander safe and soft and perfect landing on the surface of the Moon.
2. Observing and demonstrating the rover’s loitering capabilities on the Moon
3. In-site scientific observation making scientific experiments on the chemical and natural elements, soil, water, etc. available on the surface of the Moon to better understand and practice the composition of the Moon. Interplanetary refers to the development and demonstration of new technologies required for missions between two planets.

Design

 

Chandrayaan-3 comprises three main components:

Propulsion Module:

The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit. It is a box-like structure with one large solar panel mounted on one side and a large cylinder on top (the Intermodular Adapter Cone) that acts as a mounting structure for the lander. In addition to the lander, the module carries a payload called Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) to study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.

Lander:

The lander is responsible for the soft landing on the Moon. It is also box-shaped, with four landing legs and four landing thrusters of 800 newtons each. It will carry the rover and various scientific instruments to perform in-site analysis.

The lander for Chandrayaan-3 will have only four throttle-able engines, unlike Vikram on Chandrayaan-2 which had five 800 Newtons engines with a fifth one being centrally mounted with a fixed thrust. Additionally, the Chandrayaan-3 lander will be equipped with a Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV). The impact legs are made stronger compared to Chandrayaan-2 and increased instrumentation redundancy. ISRO is working on improving the structural rigidity and adding multiple contingency systems.

The lander will carry three payloads:

• Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) will measure the thermal conductivity and temperature of the lunar surface.
• Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) will measure the seismicity around the landing site.
• Langmuir Probe (LP) will estimate the plasma density and its variations.

Rover:

 

Chandrayaan-3 Rover Overview:

• Six-wheeled design
• Weight of 26 kilograms (57 pounds)
• Range of 500 metres (1,640 feet)
• Scientific instruments including cameras, spectrometers, and a drill
• Expected lifespan of one lunar day (14 Earth days)
• Communication with the lander and ground control team in India

The Chandrayaan-3 Rover is expected to make a number of important scientific discoveries, including:

• The composition of the lunar surface
• The presence of water ice in the lunar soil
• The history of lunar impacts
• The evolution of the Moon’s atmosphere

The Chandrayaan-3 Rover is a major step forward for India’s space program. It is a testament to the country’s growing technological capabilities, and it is sure to make significant contributions to our understanding of the Moon.

 

The Indian Space Research Organisation launch the LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 Moon Mission, lift off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre-SHAR, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on July 14, 2023.

 

More About Chandrayaan 3

India’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, was successfully launched onboard a Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) rocket from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.35 pm on July 14.

This is India’s second attempt at soft-landing robotic instruments on the lunar surface after the previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2, failed in 2019.

Thus far, only three countries, the U.S., Russia and China, have successfully soft-landed on the moon.

Speaking to reporters after the successful launch, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said the next 42 days are crucial. “As per the nominal programme, we will have five earth-bound maneuvers [that] will end on July 31. After that we have the trans-lunar insertion, [which] will take place on August 1. After that, it will be captured [by the] moon. This will be followed by the separation of the propulsion module and the lander module on August 17. “The landing is currently planned on August 23 at 5.47 pm IST, if everything goes as per plan,” he added.

New chapter: Modi

Hailing the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian… This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!”

Minister of State Jitendra Singh, who was present at the launch, said, “It is indeed a moment of glory for India. Thank you team ISRO for making India proud… Today is also a day of vindication: vindication of the dream Vikram Sarabhai [had] six decades ago.”

ISRO’s Chandrayaan 3 mission | When did it start and when will it end

Around 16 minutes after the LVM-3 lifted off, the spacecraft separated from the rocket. It was an integrated module comprising the propulsion module, the lander module, and the rover. It entered into an elliptic parking orbit (EPO). This orbit’s closest approach to earth was around 170 km and farthest, at 36,500 km.

The Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous propulsion module (PM), lander module (LM). The mission’s objective is to develop and demonstrating new technologies required for inter-planetary missions.

The propulsion module will carry the lander (containing the rover) from the EPO around earth to a circular orbit around the moon, at an altitude of 100 km. This module also carries instrument called ‘Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth’ (SHAPE), to study spectral emissions coming from earth.

According to ISRO, the lander can soft-land at a specified lunar site and deploy the rover. The rover will perform in-situ chemical studies of the lunar surface as it moves around. The lander also has scientific instruments to study the lunar surface and subsurface.

The propulsion module will execute a series of manoeuvres over the next month to sling itself towards the moon and be caught there by the moon’s gravity. Once it has been captured into a lunar orbit, the lander will detach itself and attempt to soft-land on the moon’s surface.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s objective is to develop and demonstrate new technologies required for inter-planetary missions.

 

Here are the latest updates:

• JULY 14, 2023 19:45

Chandrayaan-3 launch another achievement under PM Modi’s leadership, says Guj CM

The successful launch of India’s ambitious moon mission Chandrayaan-3 on Friday was one more achievement for the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

A statement from the Gujarat CMO said Mr. Patel congratulated all

• A statement from the Gujarat CMO said Mr. Patel congratulated all those associated with the mission and expressed happiness for the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3.

Wishing the successful completion of every next phase in the mission, Mr. Patel said, “Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India is achieving world-class achievements at regular intervals and today’s launch of Chandrayaan-3 has become another milestone.”

• JULY 14, 2023 19:33

Greetings pour in from all over the world on India’s successful Chandrayaan-3 launch

Greetings and best wishes poured in as India launched Chandrayaan 3 on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) successfully from Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on Friday.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson took it to Twitter and wrote, “Congratulations to ISRO on the Chandrayaan-3 launch, wishing you safe travels to the Moon. We look forward to the scientific results to come from the mission, including NASA’s laser retroreflector array. India is demonstrating leadership on #ArtemisAccords!”

European Space Agency (ESA) also congratulated ISRO and wrote, “Congratulations to ISRO for a great launch!”

“Destination: Moon Congratulations ISRO on the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3!” the United Kingdom Space Agency wrote on Twitter.

French Embassy in India’s said, “Congratulations ISRO on the successful launch of LVM3 M4 & #Chandrayaan3! India’s feats in space are truly inspiring. As its long-standing partner of over 60 years, France is keen to boost our cooperation on space exploration and scientific endeavors. #SpaceMission”

“Congratulations India and #ISRO on the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3! Proud the @CanberraDSN in Australia is supporting communications as #Chandrayaan3 heads on its way to the Moon. ISRO AusSpaceAgency ISRO #MissionMoon,” Australian High Commission wrote on Twitter to congratulate India.

• JULY 14, 2023 19:17

PM Modi calls Chandryaan 3 launuch ‘new chapter’ in India’s space odyssey

“Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Ahead of the launch, Mr. Modi said the Chandrayaan-3 mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation.

Till Chandrayaan-1, the moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body while it is now seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and subsurface ice, he said on Twitter.

Maybe in the future, it can be potentially inhabited, the Prime Minister added.

Mr. Modi tweeted,”14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India’s space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey.” Modi also urged people to know more about this mission and the strides India has made in space, science and innovation. “It will make you all very proud,” he added.

• JULY 14, 2023 19:03

Measures taken for successful Chandrayaan-3 soft landing: Ex-ISRO Chairman Sivan

ISRO has taken corrective measures after the failed bid to soft-land on the Moon nearly four years ago, and is expecting a successful touch down on the lunar surface with Chandrayaan-3, its former Chairman K Sivan said on Friday.

Noting that it is going to be a challenging job, Mr. Sivan told PTI, “This is a very important launch, and we have done it successfully.” After the launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, he said that expectations in India from the ambitious venture are very high.

“Last time we could not do the landing mission (Chandrayaan-2) successfully. So, this time we are attempting (again). We have planned with all corrective measures. The launch happened today successfully. So, that way the first phase is over successfully,” Sivan, who was the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman during the Chandrayaan-2 mission, said by phone from the Sriharikota spaceport.

“Moon landing is not an easy job. It’s a challenging job…(but) we are expecting that we will land successfully,” he added.

• JULY 14, 2023 18:22

RAMBHA, ILSA to help ISRO understand Moon better

The Chandrayaan-3 that aims for a soft landing on the Moon’s surface, paving the way for future interplanetary missions, carries six payloads that would help ISRO understand the lunar soil and also get the blue planet’s photographs from the lunar orbit.

The payloads, which include RAMBHA and ILSA, would perform a series of path-breaking experiments during the 14-day mission. They would study the moon’s atmosphere and dig the surface to understand its mineral composition.

Lunar lander Vikram will click photos of the rover Pragyaan as it studies the seismic activity on the moon by dropping some instruments. Using laser beams, it would try to melt a piece of the lunar surface — the regolith — to study the gases emitted during the process.

“We know the moon does not have any atmosphere. But this is not exactly true because gases do come out of it. Rather they get ionised and stay very close to the surface. This changes with day and night,” ISRO Chairman S Somanath told PTI.

The Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA) on the lander will measure the near-surface plasma density and its changes with time.

The rover will study how this small atmosphere, atomic atmosphere and the charged particles vary, Somanath said.

“This is very interesting. We also want to find out whether the regolith has electric or thermal characteristics,” he said.

The Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) will measure seismicity around the landing site and delineate the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.

“We will drop an instrument and measure the vibration — what you call the ‘moonquake’ behaviour or the internal processes — the movements happening there,” the ISRO chief said.

The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) will determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the landing site, while the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) will derive the chemical composition and infer the mineralogical composition of the moon’s surface.

The Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) will study the spectro-polarimetric signatures of the earth in the near-infrared wavelength range which could be used in the search for life on exo-planets beyond the solar system.

• JULY 14, 2023 18:17

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulates ISRO team

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) team for successfully launching the Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota as per scheduled launch time.“10..9…8…7…6..5..4..3..2…1.. And #Chandrayaan3 launched ! What an exciting sight and moment ! Our ISRO launches #Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. Salute and congratulations to #TeamIsro! Jai Hind,” Mr. Fadnavis tweeted.

• JULY 14, 2023 18:05

Kerala CM hails ISRO team, says historic triumph for the nation

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of the third lunar mission, ‘Chandrayaan-3’ and termed it as ‘historic triumph’ for the nation.

It is the “proudest moment” for all people in the country and the mission will bring in groundbreaking results in space research, he said in a tweet.

“Proudest moment for all Indians as our third lunar mission #Chandrayaan3 has been launched by ISRO. Congratulations to all behind its successful launch. It is a historic triumph for our nation as the mission will bring in groundbreaking results in space research,” Mr. Vijayan tweeted.

• JULY 14, 2023 17:55

Congress lauds ISRO for Chandrayaan-3 launch

The Congress on Friday lauded ISRO for the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 and said it was testimony to the vision, foresight, determination and accomplishments of all previous prime ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said the launch was a matter of great pride for all Indians as he paid tributes to countless scientists who devoted their lives for building a scientific temper among people.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “Today, more than a billion of us look to the sky, beaming with pride.” “Chandrayaan-3 is the fruit of decades of labour by the scientific community since the launch of India’s space programme in 1962, followed by the creation of ISRO in 1969.”

“The success of this mission will make us only the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon. A truly incredible feat! Congratulations to the entire team at ISRO,” Mr. Gandhi said in a tweet.

• JULY 14, 2023 17:50

“India today embarked on its historic space journey with launch of Chandrayaan-3”: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that with the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India today embarked on its historic space journey.

“India today embarked on its historic space journey with the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3. My heartfelt congratulations to the ISRO scientists whose tireless pursuit has today propelled India on the path of scripting a remarkable space odyssey for generations to cherish,” Amit Shah tweeted.

• JULY 14, 2023 17:41

NASA congratulates ISRO

• JULY 14, 2023 17:37

We have taken corrective measures, expecting soft-landing on Moon successfully, says ex-ISRO Chairman Sivan

The Indian Space Research Organisation has taken corrective measures after the failed bid to soft-land on the Moon nearly four years ago, and is expecting successful touch down on the lunar surface with its Chandrayaan-3 mission but it’s going to be a challenging job, its former Chairman K Sivan said on Friday.

“This is a very important launch, and we have done it successfully,” he told PTI after the launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, and noted that expectations in India from the ambitious venture are very high.

“Last time we could not do the landing mission (Chandrayaan-2) successfully. So, this time we are attempting (again). We have planned with all corrective measures. The launch happened today successfully. So that way the first phase is over successfully,” Sivan, who was the ISRO Chairman during the Chandrayaan-2 mission, said by phone from the spaceport of Sriharikota.

“Moon landing is not an easy job. It’s a challenging job…(but) we are expecting that we will land successfully,” he added.

• JULY 14, 2023 17:28

Soft landing of Chandrayaan 3 planned at 5.47 pm on August 23

India’s third moon mission Chandrayaan 3 will attempt the technically challenging soft landing on lunar surface on August 23, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said on Friday.

Addressing reporters after the successful launch of the estimated Rs 600 crore mission, Somanath said the craft’s infusion into the lunar orbit has been planned from August 1.

The soft landing has been planned at 5.47 pm on August 23, more than a month after Chandrayaan 3 took off from the spaceport here piggybacking on the heavylift LVM3-M4 rocket, he added.

• JULY 14, 2023 17:24

AP Guv, CM congratulate ISRO on successful launch of Chandrayaan-3

Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for successfully launching Chandrayaan–3 mission to the moon.

A press release from Raj Bhavan said, the Governor hoped that the rover, Pragyan, will roam the moon’s surface to conduct scientific experiments. – PTI

• JULY 14, 2023 17:11

So far the mission is on the dot, hope it will be a success: former ISRO chief Madhavan Nair

Witnessing the historic moment of the successful takeoff of the Chandrayaan-3 mission at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram, former Chairman of ISRO G. Madhavan Nair on Friday congratulated the entire team of scientists at ISRO and hoped that the mission would be a success.

“I’m sure the first portion of the journey has started off very well. My compliments to the entire ISRO team,” Mr. Nair told PTI soon after Chandrayaan 3 began its journey to the Moon in its precise orbit.

• JULY 14, 2023 16:51

Extraordinary feat: Vice President Dhankhar lauds ISRO

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3, saying this “extraordinary feat” highlights the advancement made by India in space science and research.

“Congratulations to the team at #ISRO for the historic launch of Chandrayaan-3! This extraordinary feat highlights the advancement the country has made in space science & research. This milestone in India’s stellar space journey makes every Indian proud,” Mr. Dhankhar tweeted.

• JULY 14, 2023 16:50

Chandrayaan 3 soft landing planned on August 23 or 24

Following the separation from the launch vehicle, the propulsion module along with the lander would proceed for an over a month long journey towards reaching the orbit of the moon until it goes 100 km above the lunar surface. After reaching the desired altitude, the lander module would begin its descent for a soft landing on the moon’s south pole region. This key action is expected to take place by August 23 or 24, scientists at ISRO said.

• JULY 14, 2023 16:35

Amit Shah congratulates ISRO scientists on Chandrayaan-3 launch

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday hailed the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 and said the tireless pursuit of the ISRO scientists has propelled India on the path of scripting a remarkable space odyssey for generations to cherish.

“India today embarked on its historic space journey with the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3. My heartfelt congratulations to the ISRO scientists whose tireless pursuit has today propelled India on the path of scripting a remarkable space odyssey for generations to cherish,” Mr. Shah tweeted.

 

Blog By: Trupti Thakur