Chandrayaan-3 Lander Expected to Begin Controlled Descent Around 6 PM on August 23, 2023

India’s ambitious lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, is expected to begin its controlled descent to the moon’s surface around 6 PM on August 23, 2023. This marks a significant milestone in India’s space exploration journey, following the partial success of Chandrayaan-2. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been meticulously planning this mission to ensure a successful soft landing on the moon’s surface, a feat that has been achieved by only a few nations so far.

What is Chandrayaan-3?

Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third lunar exploration mission. Following the Chandrayaan-2 mission, where the orbiter was successfully placed in the moon’s orbit but the lander failed to make a soft landing, ISRO has been working on Chandrayaan-3. The mission includes only a lander and a rover, as the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is still operational and sending valuable data back to Earth.

What is the significance of the controlled descent?

The controlled descent is a critical phase of the mission. It involves reducing the speed of the lander as it approaches the moon’s surface, to ensure a soft landing. This phase is technically challenging due to the moon’s uneven surface and gravitational anomalies. A successful controlled descent and soft landing would make India the fourth country to achieve this feat, after the USA, Russia, and China.

What are the objectives of Chandrayaan-3?

The primary objective of Chandrayaan-3 is to demonstrate the ability to soft-land on the lunar surface and operate a robotic rover on the surface. Scientific goals include studies of lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, the lunar exosphere, and signatures of hydroxyl and water ice.

What are the key components of the mission?

The mission comprises two main components: the lander named ‘Vikram’ and the rover named ‘Pragyan’. The lander is designed to execute India’s first soft landing on the lunar surface. The rover is a 6-wheeled, AI-powered vehicle with the capability to travel up to 500 meters at a speed of 1 cm per second. It is designed to conduct chemical analysis of the lunar soil and relay data back to Earth.

What happens after the controlled descent?

Following the controlled descent, the lander is expected to touch down on the lunar surface. The rover will then be deployed to carry out experiments and exploration for around 14 Earth days (one lunar day). The data collected by the rover will be sent to the orbiter and then relayed back to the ISRO’s mission control on Earth.

Chandrayaan-3 is a testament to India’s growing capabilities in space exploration. A successful mission will not only boost India’s standing in the global space community but also contribute significantly to our understanding of the moon.