Chandrayaan-3: India’s Third Lunar Mission
Chandrayaan-3 is an Indian lunar exploration mission undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It is the third lunar mission launched by India after Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2. The primary objective of Chandrayaan-3 is to demonstrate India’s capability in soft-landing and roving on the Moon.
Mission Overview
Chandrayaan-3 consists of a lander and a rover. The lander is designed to make a soft landing on the lunar surface, while the rover is equipped with scientific instruments to explore the lunar terrain and collect data.
Key Objectives
- Soft Landing: Successfully land the lander on the lunar surface.
- Roving: Deploy the rover to explore the lunar surface and conduct scientific experiments.
- Scientific Research: Collect data on the lunar surface, including its composition, mineralogy, and exosphere.
Launch and Timeline
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, atop a Launch Vehicle Mark-III rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. The mission followed a trajectory that took it to the Moon via Earth’s orbit.
The lander module of Chandrayaan-3 successfully made a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023, near the Moon’s south pole. This made India the fourth country to achieve a successful soft landing on the Moon, after the United States, Russia, and China.
Scientific Instruments
The Chandrayaan-3 rover is equipped with a suite of scientific instruments to study the lunar surface and collect data. These instruments include:
- Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): To determine the elemental composition of the lunar surface.
- Lunar Seismic Activity Experiment (LSE): To study the seismic activity of the Moon.
- Langmuir Probe and Radio Analyzer (LPRA): To measure the plasma and dust particles in the lunar exosphere.
- Thermophysical Experiment on Lunar Surface (ILES): To measure the thermal properties of the lunar surface.
Significance of Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 is a significant milestone in India’s space program. It demonstrates India’s technological capabilities and its commitment to space exploration. The mission has also generated global interest and has been widely praised for its success.
The data collected by Chandrayaan-3 will contribute to our understanding of the Moon’s formation, evolution, and resources. It will also pave the way for future lunar missions and potentially human exploration of the Moon.
