Skip to main content

Chandrayaan 3: India's Third Lunar Mission

Chandrayaan 3
On July 14, 2023, India successfully launched its third lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3. The mission is a follow-on to Chandrayaan 2, which was launched in 2019 but failed to land on the moon. Chandrayaan 3 is carrying a lander and rover, which will attempt to land on the lunar south pole.
The lander is called Vikram, and the rover is called Pragyan. Vikram is equipped with a number of instruments to study the lunar surface, including a camera, a spectrometer, and a magnetometer. Pragyan is a six-wheeled rover that will be able to travel up to 500 meters on the lunar surface.

Structural View
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is composed of three main parts: the propulsion module, the lander, and the rover.
  • The propulsion module is responsible for carrying the lander and rover into lunar orbit. It is a box-shaped 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. The module also carries a payload called Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) to study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
  • 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. The lander has a number of scientific instruments, including a camera, a spectrometer, and a magnetometer.
  • The rover is a six-wheeled vehicle that will explore the lunar surface. It has a range of 500 meters and carries a number of scientific instruments, including a camera, a spectrometer, and a drill.

The total weight of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is about 3,900 kilograms. The spacecraft is scheduled to land on the Moon on August 23-24, 2023.

Here is a table summarizing the structural components of Chandrayaan-3:

ComponentDescription
Propulsion moduleCarries the lander and rover into lunar orbit.
LanderResponsible for the soft landing on the Moon.
RoverSix-wheeled vehicle that will explore the lunar surface.
Total weightAbout 3,900 kilograms
Landing dateAugust 23-24, 2023


One View of Chandrayaan 3
The main objectives of Chandrayaan 3 are to:
  • Demonstrate the ability to soft land on the lunar surface at the south pole.
  • Perform in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface.
  • Study the lunar south pole, which is thought to be rich in water ice
Chandrayaan 3 is a significant milestone for India's space program. It is the first time that India has attempted to land a lander and rover on the lunar south pole. If successful, the mission will provide valuable data about the lunar surface and its potential for resources.
The launch of Chandrayaan 3 was a major success for ISRO. The mission is a testament to the country's growing capabilities in space exploration. It is also a source of pride for Indians, who are eager to see their country achieve further success in space.

What's Next for Chandrayaan 3?
Chandrayaan 3 is currently in orbit around the moon. The lander and rover are scheduled to land on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023. Once they have landed, the lander will deploy the rover, which will begin its mission to study the lunar surface.
The mission is expected to last for about 14 days, or one lunar day. During this time, the lander and rover will collect data about the lunar surface and its potential for resources. They will also conduct a number of experiments, including:
  • Studying the composition of the lunar soil.
  • Searching for water ice.
  • Measuring the lunar magnetic field.
The data collected by Chandrayaan 3 will be valuable for scientists studying the moon. It will also help to inform future missions to the moon, such as India's Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send humans to the moon in 2024.

Chandrayaan 3 on Moon
Conclusion
Chandrayaan 3 is a major milestone for India's space program. The mission is a testament to the country's growing capabilities in space exploration. It is also a source of pride for Indians, who are eager to see their country achieve further success in space.
The mission is expected to provide valuable data about the lunar surface and its potential for resources. It will also help to inform future missions to the moon, such as India's Gaganyaan mission.
ISRO is committed to furthering India's space program, and Chandrayaan 3 is just one step on this journey. ISRO is already planning future missions to the moon, including a mission to the lunar south pole in 2025.
I am excited to see what the future holds for India's space program. I believe that India has the potential to become a major player in the global space race, and I am confident that ISRO will continue to achieve great things.


-By Mratyunjay Saxena

Location: Bareilly,Uttar Pradesh, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gaganyaan Mission: India’s Historic Leap into Human Spaceflight

  Introduction India is on the brink of making history with its ambitious Gaganyaan Mission , a landmark project by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) . This mission aims to send Indian astronauts, also known as Gagannauts , into space, making India the fourth nation in the world to achieve human spaceflight, after Russia, the USA, and China. Gaganyaan is more than just a space mission; it is a symbol of India's technological advancement and growing prowess in space exploration. Gaganyaan Mission Mission Overview The Gaganyaan program involves a series of test flights leading up to the final crewed mission , which will carry three astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 400 km for three days before returning safely to Earth. The spacecraft will be launched aboard ISRO’s GSLV Mk III (now known as LVM3) , a powerful rocket developed specifically for heavy-lift missions. Objectives of Gaganyaan Demonstrate India's human spaceflight capability by suc...
3 comments
Read more

About James Webb Space Telescope

JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE  JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE Firstly we need to know about the space telescope. It is a telescope which is placed in outer space and used to observe astronomical objects. And also used to study different types of light phenomenon like Aurora lights and to study hottest and most explosive object. Currently, NASA had launched a space telescope named as JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE [JWST] . It was made by international collaboration among NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. It works as a replacement of Hubble Space Telescope. JWST was launched on 25 December 2021 on Arian Flight VA256. Firstly it was named as Next Generation Space Telescope and after some time name change to James Webb Space Telescope. There are some properties of JWST are Mass- 6161.4kg , Dimensions- 20.197m×14.162m , Power- 2KW. It operates in a Halo orbit, circling around a point in space known as the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point, approx 1500000km beyond Earth orbit a...
9 comments
Read more

NISAR: A Global Collaboration for Earth Observation 🌍🚀

  The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is one of the most advanced Earth observation missions ever undertaken. It is a joint collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) , marking a milestone in international space partnerships. Scheduled for launch in March 2025 , NISAR will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual-frequency (L-band and S-band) radar to observe Earth with unprecedented accuracy. The satellite will revolutionize how we monitor environmental changes, natural disasters, and ecosystem dynamics worldwide. NISAR Satellite Why NISAR is Important? 🌍 Comprehensive Earth Monitoring NISAR will scan the entire Earth's land and ice surfaces every 12 days , making it the most frequent global radar imaging mission. It will track even the smallest changes in Earth's surface, including landslides, glacier movements, and vegetation changes. 🔥 Natural Disaster Respo...
1 comment
Read more