ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Challenges, Preparations and Goals
The upcoming launch of Chandrayaan-3, planned to take place from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, will position India as the fourth nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface.
New Delhi: ISRO is making preparations for the launch of Chandrayaan-3, which is set to take place on Friday. The spacecraft is equipped with additional fuel, enhanced safety measures, and a larger landing site compared to its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2. This time, ISRO is determined to achieve a successful moon landing.
Once launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrayaan-3 will establish India as the fourth country, following the United States, Russia, and China, to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon’s surface.
As per ISRO’s plans, approximately a month after its launch on Friday, Chandrayaan-3 will enter the lunar orbit. The lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyaan, are expected to touch down on the moon’s surface on August 23.
Mission
The launch of the spacecraft will be conducted using the LVM3 rocket from SDSC SHAR in Sriharikota. ISRO has stated that the propulsion module will transport the lander and rover configuration to a lunar orbit of 100 km, following which the lander will detach and endeavor a gentle landing.
Alongside the lander and rover, the propulsion module will also transport a payload called Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE). This payload aims to examine the spectral and polarimetric characteristics of Earth from the lunar orbit.
Objectives
Chandrayaan-3 serves as a subsequent mission to Chandrayaan-2, with the objective of showcasing India’s capability to accomplish a secure lunar landing and deploy a rover to explore the moon’s surface. The rover will gather valuable information regarding the moon’s composition and geology.
Moreover, Chandrayaan-3 will conduct scientific experiments to examine the lunar environment comprehensively, encompassing aspects such as the moon’s history, geology, and potential resources.
Challenges
Achieving a successful moon landing involves intricate and formidable undertakings.
During the attempted lunar landing of Chandrayaan-2 in July 2019, India faced a significant setback as the Vikram lander crashed during its descent to the moon’s surface.
To mitigate potential challenges, ISRO has equipped Chandrayaan-3 with an increased fuel capacity. This enhancement grants the mission the capability to travel greater distances, manage dispersion, or redirect to an alternate landing site if required.
“We have extensively studied numerous failure scenarios, including sensor failure, engine failure, algorithm failure, and calculation failure. Our objective is to ensure that regardless of the type of failure, the spacecraft successfully lands at the designated speed and rate. Therefore, we have calculated and programmed various failure scenarios,” stated ISRO Chief S Somanath, as reported by news agency PTI.
According to the ISRO chief, modifications have been made to the Vikram lander to ensure its ability to generate power regardless of the landing conditions. The lander has undergone testing to withstand higher velocities and has been equipped with additional solar panels on various surfaces.
