In a historic move, India has launched its ambitious third lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3, joining an elite group of countries, including the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union, that have reached the moon.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in their third lunar mission in the past 15 years, are focusing on a unique achievement: a soft landing on the lunar surface, a feat that eluded their previous Chandrayaan 2 mission. This soft landing is scheduled for 5.47 pm on August 23, adding to the excitement of the mission.
Costing an estimated Rs 600 crore ($80 million), as reported by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Chandrayaan 3 began its month-long journey to the moon using ISRO’s heavy-lift launch vehicle, the ‘Fat boy’ LVM3-M4.
The launch was a spectacle that drew thousands of spectators who cheered loudly as the LVM3-M4 rocket took off from the second launch pad at 2.35 pm, leaving a trail of thick orange smoke. This exciting event was not just a victory for ISRO but for all of India, with the hope of the nation riding on the successful journey of Chandrayaan 3.
The mission’s central goal is to master the technology for a soft landing on the lunar surface. If successful, India will be only the fourth country to achieve this remarkable feat. The Chandrayaan 3 will orbit the earth around 5-6 times in an elliptical cycle before moving towards the lunar orbit.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath expressed his joy and pride from the Mission Control Centre, stating, “Chandrayaan 3 has started its journey towards the moon. Our dear LVM 3 has already put Chandrayaan 3 craft into the precise orbit around earth… and let us wish all the best for Chandrayaan 3 craft for its further orbit raising maneuvers and travel towards moon in the coming days.”
Mission Director S Mohana Kumar confirmed that the LVM3 rocket has proven its reliability as ISRO’s most trusted heavy lift vehicle, and that they plan on increasing the launch frequency of this vehicle due to national and satellite demands.
Chandrayaan-3’s significant aspects include the Propulsion Module carrying a payload — SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth). It’s designed to study earth from the lunar orbit, thereby enhancing our understanding of the Earth’s spectro-polarimetric signatures in the near-infrared wavelength range.
Moreover, the mission’s lander module, after landing on the moon, will house payloads to measure near surface plasma ions, carry out thermal properties measurements of the lunar surface, and measure seismicity around the landing site, among other experiments.
The rover will then study the moon’s surface, deriving the chemical composition and mineralogical make-up of the lunar surface, thereby enhancing our understanding of the moon. Its mission life is 1 lunar day, or 14 Earth days.
With Chandrayaan-3, ISRO aims to develop and demonstrate new technologies required for future interplanetary missions. ISRO officials have been meticulous in their planning to ensure successful landing on the moon’s South Pole, a region selected for its potential presence of water in permanently shadowed areas.
This mission is also seen as a moment of redemption for ISRO, following the failed soft landing of Chandrayaan-2. It is not just a tribute to the scientific community but also to the late Vikram Sarabhai, known as the Father of India’s space programme.
“Today was also a day of vindication,” said Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh. “This day is a indication of a dream Vikram Sarabhai saw six decades ago. He might have been short of resources, but never short of confidence.”
