Nilanjan
India’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, is all set to enter into the Moon’s orbit today, August 5, after successfully escaping the Earth’s gravity and covering a long distance of 384,400 km from the ‘Blue Planet’. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that the Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) is scheduled for around 7 pm today. The LOI is a crucial manoeuvre that will insert the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit around the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was launched by ISRO’s heavy-lift launcher LVM-3 on July 14 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover. The orbiter will circle the Moon and relay data and images to the Earth. The lander, named Vikram, will detach from the orbiter and attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface near the south pole. The rover, named Pragyan, will then roll out of the lander and explore the lunar terrain.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to build on the success of its earlier Moon missions, Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2. It will conduct various scientific experiments and studies on the Moon, such as mapping its surface, measuring its mineral composition, detecting water ice, studying its seismic activity and testing new technologies. The mission will also demonstrate India’s capability to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, which only three other countries have done so far – the United States, the Soviet Union and China.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission has faced many challenges and risks since its launch. It has undergone five orbit-raising manoeuvres around the Earth to increase its speed and altitude. It has also performed a trans-lunar injection on August 1, which propelled it out of the Earth’s orbit and towards the Moon. It has also faced various external factors such as solar radiation, cosmic rays and gravitational forces.
The LOI is one of the most critical events of the mission, as it will decide the fate of the spacecraft. If successful, it will place the spacecraft in an initial orbit of 170 x 18,000 km around the Moon. The spacecraft will then perform four more manoeuvres to lower its orbit to 100 x 100 km. The separation of the lander from the orbiter will take place on August 20. The lander will then perform two deboost manoeuvres to reduce its speed and altitude. The final descent and landing will take place on August 23 between 1:30 am and 2:30 am IST.
The ISRO has said that the health of the spacecraft is normal and all systems are functioning well. The space agency has also expressed confidence in achieving a successful landing on the Moon. The ISRO chairman S Somanath has said that the mission is going as per plan and that all parameters are within limits. He has also said that the mission team is working hard and monitoring every aspect of the mission.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is being closely watched by millions of Indians and people around the world. It is a matter of pride and prestige for India, as it showcases its scientific and technological prowess. It is also a tribute to India’s former president and renowned scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who had envisioned India as a space-faring nation.
You can follow the live updates of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on ISRO’s official website or on its social media platforms . You can also watch the live telecast of the LOI on Doordarshan or on YouTube . Stay tuned for more updates on India’s historic moon mission!
Here are some of the latest updates from ISRO:
- ‘I am feeling lunar gravity,’ Chandrayaan-3’s message to ISRO after entering Moon’s orbit MOX, ISTRAC, this is Chandrayaan-3. I am feeling lunar gravity,’ is the first message that India’s third lunarcraft sent to the ISRO centres back to the Earth after entering the Moon’s orbit that ISRO tweeted . The spacecraft made the lunar orbit entry after escaping the Earth’s gravity and covering a long distance of 384,400 km from the ‘Blue Planet’. Sharing the good news, ISRO tweeted, “Chandrayaan-3 has been successfully inserted into lunar orbit. A retro-burning at the Perilune was commanded from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC, Bengaluru.”
- On the next plan on Sunday after the lunar orbit entry, ISRO tweeted, “The next operation — reduction of orbit – is scheduled for Aug 6, 2023, around 23:00 Hrs. IST.”
- Talking to TOI, ISRO chairman S Somanath said, “We are very happy. There is already a programme to process, starting from tomorrow, as per the plan. There are five different burns (manoeuvres) to bring the spacecraft closer to the innermost circle of 100km (altitude) from the Moon’s surface
- The Chandrayaan-3 mission is expected to make history on August 23, when it will attempt to land on the Moon’s south pole, a region that has never been explored before. The south pole of the Moon is of great scientific interest, as it is believed to contain water ice and other resources that could be useful for future lunar missions. The south pole also offers a unique vantage point to observe the Earth and other celestial bodies.
- The landing of Chandrayaan-3 will be a complex and challenging task, as it will involve navigating through the rugged and shadowed terrain of the lunar south pole. The lander will have to autonomously perform a series of manoeuvres to reduce its speed, avoid obstacles, and find a suitable landing site. The lander will also have to withstand the extreme temperature variations and radiation levels on the Moon.
- The lander will carry four scientific payloads, namely, Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC), Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC), Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC), and Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA). These payloads will help in determining the position, velocity, orientation, and altitude of the lander, as well as detecting and avoiding any hazards on the landing site. The LRA will also serve as a passive reflector for future laser ranging experiments.
- The rover will carry two scientific payloads, namely, Rover Camera (ROVCAM) and Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS). These payloads will help in capturing images and videos of the lunar surface, as well as measuring the elemental composition of the lunar soil. The rover will also have a robotic arm to collect samples and a solar panel to generate power.
- The orbiter will continue to orbit the Moon for at least one year and provide communication support to the lander and rover. The orbiter will also carry eight scientific payloads, namely, Terrain Mapping Camera 2 (TMC 2), Chandrayaan 2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS), Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM), Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC), Imaging IR Spectrometer (IIRS), Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR), Chandrayaan 2 Atmospheric Compositional Explorer 2 (CHACE 2), and Dual Frequency Radio Science Experiment (DFRS). These payloads will help in mapping and studying the lunar surface, subsurface, exosphere, and environment.
- The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a collaborative effort between ISRO and several national and international institutions. Some of the institutions involved are Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Space Applications Centre (SAC), National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK), Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IISc), National Physical Laboratory (NPL), NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Applied Physics Laboratory Johns Hopkins University (APL JHU), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), University of Bern, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, CNES France, JAXA Japan, KASI Korea, and ROSCOSMOS Russia.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a landmark achievement for India and a significant contribution to the global exploration of the Moon. It will not only enhance our understanding of the Moon’s origin, evolution, and geology, but also inspire future generations of scientists and explorers. It will also pave the way for more ambitious missions to the Moon and beyond.
