Chandrayaan-3 represents India’s third and latest lunar exploration venture orchestrated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This mission is a significant addition to the ongoing Chandrayaan programme.
Comprising a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, Chandrayaan-3 closely resembles its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2. Notably, its propulsion module operates akin to an Orbiter, serving as a vehicle to ferry the lander and rover configuration. This module remains functional until the spacecraft attains a lunar orbit of approximately 100 kilometers.
Given the unforeseen challenges encountered during Chandrayaan-2, when an eleventh-hour glitch in the landing guidance software led to a failed landing attempt, the decision was made to initiate another lunar mission.
On the 14th of July, 2023, at 2:35 pm IST, Chandrayaan-3 embarked on its voyage. The anticipated climax of this mission is scheduled for the 23rd of August, 2023, with the lander and rover primed to touch down near the lunar south pole region.
The lander and rover modules include scientific payloads for lunar experiments. Recently, ISRO shared that the mission completed its final deboosting operation, adjusting the Lander Module’s orbit to 25 km x 134 km, getting ready for a soft landing.
Chandrayaan-3 aims at demonstrating safe lunar landing and roving capabilities. The deboosting operation is a vital step. Chandrayaan-3 is set to attempt a soft landing on the Moon’s south polar region from its current orbit, with the maneuver anticipated to start at 5.45 pm IST on August 23.
Success in this endeavor would place India among the few nations to achieve such a feat. Post-landing, the rover is expected to conduct chemical analyses of the lunar surface.
A race appears to be happening between Chandrayaan-3 and Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft. Luna-25’s landing plans were similar, but an “abnormal situation” occurred, reported by Roscosmos, the Russian space agency. The incident’s impact on Luna-25’s landing remains uncertain.
The journeys of Chandrayaan-3 and Luna-25 showcase the intricacies of space exploration, underscoring the challenges and potential breakthroughs. These missions captivate the world’s attention as they uncover new dimensions of lunar understanding.