India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is poised to take an exhilarating ride through the frontiers of lunar exploration. We witnessed an awe-inspiring spectacle as the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) rocket, carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, soared into the heavens from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The liftoff, which occurred on July 14, was nothing short of breath-taking. The LVM3, a mighty rocket, propelled the uncrewed lander-rover duo of Chandrayaan-3 towards Earth’s orbit, commencing its fuel-efficient trajectory to the moon.
In just about 16 minutes after liftoff, Chandrayaan-3 gracefully separated from the LVM3 and embarked on its journey, aiming to make India the fourth nation in history, following the United States, the Former Soviet Union, and China, to achieve a successful Lunar landing.
This audacious mission, with a relatively modest price tag of about Rs. 620 Crore (about $75 million), signifies India’s determination to carve a niche in low-cost space exploration. To make this launch more cost attractive, the Chandrayaan-2 was launched at a total cost of Rs. 970 Crore (approximately $140 million).
This comes at a time when nations worldwide are engaged in a captivating space race to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface.
After the unfortunate setback of Chandrayaan-2’s lander-rover pair encountering a software glitch and crashing into the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is back with renewed vigour and an unwavering belief in their capabilities. Officials at ISRO express great confidence in Chandrayaan-3, reassuring the world that lessons learned have paved the way for an even more successful endeavour.
Over the next month, the mission will face its most critical tests. Multiple firings of the spacecraft’s thrusters will shape its trajectory around Earth, gradually increasing its velocity until it is flung into the moon’s orbit. Once there, precise manoeuvres will be executed to safely position the lander-rover duo near the lunar south pole. The south pole has been mysterious and largely uncharted region that India envisions being the first to unveil.
The designated landing zone, measuring 4 kilometers by 2.5 kilometers, lies at 69.367621 degrees south latitude and 32.348126 degrees east longitude. The lunar south pole has become a hotbed of space exploration due to its potential abundance of water ice, a precious resource that could fuel rockets and provide life support, making it an alluring destination for future moon bases.
Targeted for August 23 or 24, Chandrayaan-3’s historic touchdown, will mark a monumental achievement. Previous missions have predominantly landed near the moon’s equator, while attempts to reach the south pole have been met with failure. The challenges are aplenty in the south polar regions, with low-angle sunlight and long shadows making safe landings a daunting task.
ISRO scientists have harnessed innovative technology to overcome these obstacles. Chandrayaan-3’s software incorporates a novel algorithm that estimates the spacecraft’s speed in real-time during its descent to the lunar surface, unlike its predecessor, which relied on static images to interpret velocity.
The lander, named Vikram (after Vikram Sarabhai), has been fortified with reinforced legs to withstand a slightly higher landing speed. The landing area has also been expanded, allowing for a margin of error and substantially increasing the chances of a successful touchdown.
After a safe landing, the spotlight will shift to the six-wheeled rover, aptly named Pragyan, meaning “wisdom” in Sanskrit. Equipped with its miniature solar array and guided by a set of sophisticated cameras, Pragyan will disembark from Vikram and carry on with its lunar expedition.
Armed with a spectrometer to analyse lunar soil and rocks, as well as a laser-induced spectroscope to unveil their chemical composition, Pragyan will operate alongside Vikram for approximately one lunar day (14 days), capturing invaluable data on the moon.
Vikram, on the other hand, carries an impressive array of instruments. From a seismometer designed to sense moonquakes, aiding our understanding of the moon’s structure, to a ground-breaking instrument that will penetrate the lunar soil, recording its temperature for the first time. Additionally, a plasma probe will study the enigmatic properties of plasma in close proximity to the lunar surface, while a retroreflector sent by NASA will unravel the intricate dynamics of our celestial companion’s system.
Just a month after signing the Artemis Accords for peaceful moon exploration, India’s national space policy, unveiled in April, further amplifies the country’s space aspirations. The policy allows private startups to conduct rocket launches, which was traditionally conducted by ISRO.
Chandrayaan-3 not only showcases India’s indigenous technological prowess but also opens doors for unprecedented collaborations. In 2024, India will join forces with NASA for the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission.
Moreover, a partnership with Japan’s space agency has been forged for the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, dedicated to studying water ice persisting in the moon’s perpetually shadowed regions.
Launched amidst a thrilling race to the moon and the establishment of long-term lunar outposts, the Chandrayaan-3 mission is poised to shape India’s role in future moon missions. Its triumph will not only elevate India’s standing in the global space community but also pave the way for new discoveries and monumental advancements in our quest to unlock the secrets of our cosmic neighbour.