The primary goal of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is to demonstrate the capability of achieving a soft landing on the moon and deploying a robotic rover on its surface. The spacecraft is targeted to reach the moon by August 23.
India’s Third Lunar Mission Takes Off for Historic Landing near Moon’s South Pole
India has initiated its third lunar exploration mission with the goal of achieving the first-ever soft landing near the relatively unexplored south pole of the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, comprising an orbiter, lander, and rover, successfully launched on Friday at 14:35 local time (09:05 GMT) from the Sriharikota space center.
The lander is projected to reach the lunar surface between August 23 and 24.
If successful, India will become the fourth nation to achieve a gentle lunar landing, following the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China.
Thousands of spectators witnessed the launch from a designated gallery, with commentators describing the rocket’s ascent as a “majestic” sight. The event was met with enthusiastic cheers and applause from the crowds and scientists. Passengers on the IndiGo flight break into cheers as the pilot announces the mid-flight success of the Chandrayaan-3 landing, mirroring the jubilation that swept across the nation.
Notably, “Bharat Mata ki jai [Victory to mother India]” chants echoed across the venue, according to the BBC’s Arunoday Mukharji, who was present at the launch site.
Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, the head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), conveyed his excitement after the successful launch, stating, “Chandrayaan-3 has embarked on its journey to the Moon. Our launch vehicle has precisely positioned Chandrayaan in Earth’s orbit.” ISRO further confirmed that the spacecraft’s health was normal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Chandrayaan-3’s accomplishment as a significant stride in India’s space journey, stating on Twitter, “Soaring high, it elevates the aspirations of every Indian. This remarkable achievement showcases the unwavering dedication of our scientists. I salute their ingenuity and spirit!”
As India’s third lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan-3 aims to build on the achievements of its predecessors. The mission comes 15 years after India’s inaugural Moon mission in 2008, which conducted a comprehensive search for water on the lunar surface and verified the presence of an atmosphere during daylight hours, as noted by Mylswamy Annadurai, Chandrayaan-1’s project director.
Chandrayaan-2, launched in July 2019, consisted of an orbiter, lander, and rover but faced partial success. While its orbiter continues to study the Moon, the lander rover’s soft landing attempt ended in a crash due to a braking system glitch, according to Mr. Annadurai.
Mr. Somanath assured that insights from the Chandrayaan-2 incident have been carefully reviewed, and simulations have been conducted to address glitches in Chandrayaan-3.
Weighing 3,900 kilograms and costing 6.1 billion rupees ($75 million), Chandrayaan-3 shares the same goals as its predecessor: to accomplish a gentle lunar landing.
The lander, named Vikram after ISRO’s founder, weighs about 1,500 kilograms and carries the 26-kilogram rover, Pragyaan, Sanskrit for “wisdom,” within its structure.
Following the launch, the spacecraft will take approximately 15 to 20 days to enter lunar orbit. Over the subsequent weeks, scientists will gradually reduce the craft’s velocity to facilitate a soft landing for Vikram.
Upon successful landing, the six-wheeled rover will traverse the Moon’s surface, collecting vital data and imagery for analysis on Earth. The rover’s five instruments will focus on studying the Moon’s surface characteristics, its nearby atmosphere, and subsurface tectonic activity.
Exploration of the Moon’s south pole is of particular interest, given its relative obscurity. Its larger shadowed regions suggest the possibility of water. Chandrayaan-1 first discovered water near the Moon’s south pole in 2008.
Chandrayaan-3 is a significant stride toward India’s aspirations in space exploration, reflecting its ambition to play an active role in the Moon’s future development and humanity’s deeper space endeavors.
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