India Makes History with Chandrayaan 3 Launch: New Milestone for ISRO

ISRO's Chandrayaan 3: India Successfully Launches Moon Mission

India successfully launched its third lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3, on Friday, July 14, 2023. The mission aims to soft-land a lander and rover on the surface of the moon.

The launch took place at 2:35 p.m. IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission was carried by a GSLV Mk-III rocket, which is the most powerful rocket in India's fleet.

The lander, named Vikram, will be carrying the rover, Pragyan. The rover will be tasked with exploring the lunar surface and collecting data.

The spacecraft embarked on its journey to the moon aboard the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle.

The spacecraft is anticipated to complete its voyage from Earth to the moon in approximately one month, with the expected landing scheduled for August 23. Once it touches down, the spacecraft will operate for a duration of one lunar day, which spans approximately 14 Earth days. It's important to note that a single day on the Moon is equivalent to 14 days on Earth.

This mission serves as the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) subsequent endeavor following the challenges encountered during the soft landing phase of the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019.

The success of Chandrayaan 3 would make India the fourth country to soft-land on the moon, after the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China.

Chandrayaan 3 Mission Objectives

The main objectives of Chandrayaan 3 are to:

• Soft-land a lander and rover on the surface of the moon.

• Explore the lunar south pole, which is thought to be home to water ice.

• Study the lunar surface and its geology.

• Collect data that could be used for future human exploration of the moon.

Significance of the Mission Chandrayaan 3

The success of Chandrayaan 3 would be a major achievement for India and would demonstrate the country's growing capabilities in space exploration. The mission would also help to strengthen India's position in the global space community.

Some relevant and latest facts about the Chandrayaan-3 mission:

• The launch of Chandrayaan-3 was a success. The mission was carried by a GSLV Mk-III rocket, which is the most powerful rocket in India's fleet. The launch took place at 2:35 p.m. IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• The lander, named Vikram, is expected to soft-land on the lunar surface on September 6, 2023. The rover, Pragyan, will then be deployed to explore the lunar surface.

• The success of Chandrayaan-3 would make India the fourth country to soft-land on the moon, after the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China.

• The lunar south pole is a particularly interesting region for scientists because it is thought to be home to water ice. Water ice is a valuable resource for future human exploration of the moon, as it could be used for drinking, fuel, and other purposes.

• Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2, which was launched in 2019. The Chandrayaan-2 mission was not able to soft-land on the moon, but it did make a number of important discoveries, including the presence of water molecules on the moon.

• The success of Chandrayaan-3 would be a major achievement for India and would demonstrate the country's growing capabilities in space exploration.

Conclusion:

The successful launch of Chandrayaan 3 is a major milestone for India's space program. The mission has the potential to make significant contributions to our understanding of the moon and its potential resources.

ISRO is now gearing up for the next phase of the mission, which will involve the soft-landing of the lander and rover on the lunar surface.