| Parameter | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Lander and rover |
| Launch date | 14 July 2023 |
| Landing date | 23 August 2023 |
| Landing site | Near the lunar south pole region, between Manzinus C and Simpelius N craters |
| Mission objectives | To demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, to operate a rover roving on the moon, and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments |
| Mission life | One lunar day (~14 Earth days) for lander and rover; ≤ 3 to 6 months for propulsion module |
| Launch mass | 3900 kg |
| Power generation | Propulsion Module: 758 W; Lander Module: 738 W WS with Bias; Rover: 50 W |
| Communication | Propulsion Module: Communicates with IDSN; Lander Module: Communicates with IDSN and Rover. Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter is also planned for contingency link; Rover: Communicates only with Lander |
| Science payloads | Lander: RAMBHA, ChaSTE, ILSA, LRA; Rover: APXS, LIBS; Propulsion Module: SHAPE |
DETAILS
CHANDRAYAN 3
CHANDRAYAN 3
India just pulled off an incredible feat in space! They managed to land their spacecraft, Chandrayaan-3, on the moon. And get this, only three other nations have ever done that before. Talk about making history, right?
- Now, this mission isn’t your run-of-the-mill space adventure. It’s got two cool characters – Vikram, the lander, and Pragyan, the rover. They’re like the dynamic duo of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Chandrayaan program.
The big goal of CHANDRAYAN 3?
- To show off a smooth and safe landing on the moon, let the rover roam around, and do some science stuff right there on the lunar surface. Oh, and they’re heading to the moon’s south pole, a place that’s super interesting to space folks.
Why? Well, rumor has it there might be water ice there, which could be like rocket fuel or even drinking water for future space travelers. Plus, this region is a goldmine for studying moon rocks, minerals, landscapes, and the moon’s super-thin atmosphere.
- This epic journey began on July 14, 2023, when Chandrayaan-3 took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. It’s been a wild ride since, with lots of maneuvers and action.
Fast forward to August 23, 2023, around 6 pm, and we’ve got the lander making its grand descent. It’s like a fancy dance with brakes and steering moves to find the perfect spot. At 70 degrees latitude, it finally touches down near the moon’s south pole, a place no other spaceship has been. The US, China, and the Soviet Union only went near the moon’s middle.
After a smooth landing, Pragyan, the rover, rolls out of the lander ready for its two-week lunar adventure. It’s got six wheels and some fancy gear, like cameras and sensors, to play with. The rover’s all set to check out the moon’s chemistry and terrain, and even measure its temperature.
- But the best part? Chandrayaan-3 is sending all this cool info back to Earth, thanks to its communication gear and solar panels. It’s like they’re on a long-distance call with the moon.
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is over the moon (pun intended) about this success. He says it’s not just India’s win but a win for all of humanity. He believes it’ll inspire more moon missions by other countries and show off India’s space smarts.
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History of ISRO
The story of ISRO is really fascinating. It all began back in 1975 with the launch of their first satellite, Aryabhata. You know what’s interesting? They got a helping hand from the Soviet Union for that one. Since then, ISRO has been on a roll, sending over 100 satellites into space for all sorts of things – communication, remote sensing, navigation, weather, and even stargazing!
And then there’s the lunar exploration part. In 2008, they sent Chandrayaan-1, their first lunar mission. Guess what it found? Water on the moon! How cool is that? But wait, there’s more. It also had this impact probe that smashed into the moon’s surface, creating a big crater.
Fast forward to 2019, and they launched Chandrayaan-2. It was a big deal – an orbiter, a lander called Vikram, and a rover named Pragyan. But, oops, Vikram and Pragyan didn’t quite stick the landing and ended up crashing. Tough luck, right?
But here’s where it gets exciting again. CHANDRAYAN 3, their third lunar mission, took off in 2023. This time, they improved Vikram and Pragyan, and no orbiter. They pulled off a successful landing near the moon’s south pole, where no one has dared to land before. Way to go, ISRO!
Now, Pragyan, the rover, is out there doing its thing, exploring and experimenting. It’s got all these fancy gadgets, like the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). They’re going to tell us all about the moon’s chemistry and more. Plus, they’ve got solar panels, batteries, and communication systems to keep the party going.
And guess what? India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is over the moon about this (pun intended). He says it’s not just India’s success; it’s humanity’s success. He’s right; it’s a big deal for space exploration. Go ISRO!”
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FAQ
: Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The spacecraft reached the lunar orbit on August 5, 2023, and performed several orbital maneuvers to prepare for landing. The lander began its powered descent towards the lunar surface on August 23, 2023, at around 6 pm IST, and touched down near the lunar south pole at 70 degrees latitude, at around 6:04 pm IST.
The main objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, to operate a rover roving on the moon, and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments. The mission also aims to explore the lunar south pole region, which is believed to be home to water ice deposits and other resources. The mission has achieved a historic feat by becoming the first to land near the lunar south pole, which is considered an area of key scientific and strategic interest for spacefaring nations.
The lander of Chandrayaan-3 is named Vikram, and the rover is named Pragyan. The lander and rover are improved versions of those of Chandrayaan-2, with enhanced design and performance. The lander has four scientific payloads, which include a seismometer, a thermal probe, a Langmuir probe, and a laser retroreflector. The rover has six wheels and can travel up to 500 meters on the lunar surface. It has five scientific payloads, which include cameras, spectrometers, and sensors.
The lander and rover have communication systems to relay data and images to Earth via a propulsion module orbiting around the moon. The propulsion module also communicates with the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN), which is a ground station network that supports ISRO’s interplanetary missions. Chandrayaan-2’s orbiter is also planned for contingency link in case of any failure in the propulsion module.
