LI Network
Published on: 14 July 2023 at 16:20 IST
India’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, achieved its objectives as the satellite successfully entered a precise orbit. The mission, which aims to make a soft lunar landing, took off on July 14 at 2:35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, aboard the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM 3) rocket.
The launch proceeded smoothly, with the rocket lifting off at the scheduled time and the stage separations occurring as planned. After a trouble-free flight, ISRO declared the Chandrayaan-3 mission accomplished when the satellite entered its intended orbit.
The mission, weighing approximately 3,900 kilograms, consists of a lander, a rover, and a propulsion module. The LVM 3 is scheduled to touchdown on the moon on August 23-24, and if successful, India will join the ranks of the US, Russia, and China in achieving a lunar landing.
Chandrayaan-3 follows the Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions, with the former confirming the presence of water molecules on the moon’s surface and the latter experiencing a setback with the loss of communication with the Vikram Lander.
Chandrayaan-3 is expected to overcome the challenges faced by its predecessors. The mission is a significant endeavor for India, reflecting the government’s commitment to boosting investment in space launches and satellite-based businesses.
It carries a total of eight payloads, with the Vikram lander holding four instruments, the Pragyan rover housing two, and the Propulsion Module (Orbiter) carrying one experiment.
The propulsion module will accelerate and embark on a month-long journey to reach a lunar orbit around 100 km above the moon’s surface. Subsequently, the lander module will initiate its descent for a soft landing in the moon’s south pole region, anticipated to occur on August 23 or 24, according to ISRO scientists.