Isro Chief Affirms Smooth Progress of Chandrayaan-3 Mission, Lunar Landing Set for August 23
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman, S. Somnath, provided a positive update on the status of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, highlighting its steady advancement and robust health. The spacecraft’s operations are proceeding as planned, and it remains on course for its anticipated lunar landing on August 23.
“Chandrayaan-3 is making excellent progress. Recently, we executed an orbit reduction maneuver, bringing the spacecraft’s lunar orbit from approximately 18,000 kilometers down to 4,600 kilometers, with a closest approach of 165 kilometers to the Moon. Additional maneuvers will follow as we prepare for the August 23 landing. Currently, everything is proceeding smoothly, and the satellite is in good health,” Somnath affirmed.
Launched on July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan-3 has methodically adjusted its orbit around the Moon through a series of controlled maneuvers. The spacecraft successfully entered lunar orbit on August 5.
The mission’s primary objective is to achieve a soft landing of a rover in the Moon’s south polar region—an area yet unexplored by any other nation. This mission comes after the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which successfully entered lunar orbit but faced an unfortunate crash landing on the lunar surface in 2019.
The forthcoming critical milestone for Chandrayaan-3 is the anticipated soft landing, set to occur on August 23. If successful, India will join an exclusive group of nations, including the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China, that have accomplished this intricate task.
Chandrayaan-3 is composed of a lander, a propulsion module, and a rover.
The lander holds the responsibility of executing a gentle landing on the lunar surface and is equipped with a range of scientific instruments for on-site analysis. The rover, named Pragyan, is engineered to carry out observations and experiments on the Moon’s terrain, contributing to an improved understanding of its composition.
The combined efforts of the lander and rover will facilitate in-situ observations and experiments, aiding in the deeper comprehension of the Moon’s intricate makeup. Weighing 26 kilograms and featuring various scientific instruments such as cameras, spectrometers, and a drill, the six-wheeled rover, Pragyan, is poised to play a crucial role in unraveling the Moon’s mysteries.
