India's most anticipated space mission, Chandrayaan-3, took off successfully from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh today, marking the country's third mission to the Moon. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) this time aims to go beyond its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, and help the world study the lunar surface further and enhance humanity's knowledge.
If Chandrayaan-3 lands smoothly on the Moon, India will be fourth country after the U.S., Russia, and China to achieve that feat.
"LVM3 M4 vehicle🚀 successfully launched Chandrayaan-3🛰️ into orbit," informs ISRO, after the lift-off, adding later that the health of the spacecraft, which is in its "precise orbit", is normal.
President Droupadi Murmu terms it another significant milestone in space exploration. "It demonstrates the nation's unwavering commitment to advancement in space science and technology," she tweets.
Prime Minister says July 14, 2023, will always be etched in golden letters as far as India’s space sector is concerned. "Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists' relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!" he tweets.
Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the lunar transfer trajectory after the orbit raising maneuvers. Covering over 300,000 km, it will reach the Moon in the coming weeks.
The PM says till Chandrayaan-1, the Moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body. “Now, it is seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and sub-surface ice. Maybe in the future, it can be potentially inhabited!" the PM hopes.
He says Chandrayaan-2 was "equally pathbreaking" because data from the orbiter associated with it detected the presence of "chromium, manganese and sodium for the first time through remote sensing". This, he says, will also provide more insights into the Moon’s magmatic evolution.
As per the ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to show end-to-end capability in "safe landing and roving on the lunar surface". It consists of Lander and Rover configuration.
"The propulsion module will carry the Lander and Rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit. The propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit," says the organisation.
Lander's payloads include Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature; Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for measuring the seismicity around the landing site; and Langmuir Probe (LP) to estimate the plasma density and its variations. A passive Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA is also accommodated for lunar laser ranging studies.
The Rover payloads include Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.
ISRO says Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module, propulsion module and a Rover, and the aim is to develop and show new technologies required for inter planetary missions. The Lander will make soft landing at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover, which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during its mobility.
The Lander and the Rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface. The main function of propulsion module is to carry the Lander module from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from PM.
