10 Fascinating Facts About ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3

Facts About ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3

ISRO has recently launched the highly anticipated Chandrayaan-3 mission, marking another significant milestone in India’s space exploration endeavors. This mission aims to successfully land on the lunar surface and deploy a rover, with the ultimate goal of joining the elite group of nations that have achieved this feat. Let’s delve into some intriguing facts about Chandrayaan-3 that make this mission all the more exciting.

1. Building Upon Chandrayaan-2’s Legacy

Chandrayaan-3 is the follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2, which had its share of challenges. While Chandrayaan-2’s lander, Vikram, unfortunately, deviated from its intended trajectory and crashed during the landing attempt, the mission was not a complete failure. The orbiter still continues to provide valuable data and insights about the lunar surface.

2. The Mighty GSLV Mark 3

To facilitate the successful touchdown of the Vikram lander, Chandrayaan-3 relies on the formidable GSLV Mark 3 heavy-lift launch vehicle, famously referred to as the Bahubali rocket. Standing tall at 43.5 meters, this impressive rocket will embark on a more than 40-day voyage to facilitate the successful touchdown on the moon’s surface, scheduled for August 23.

3. India’s Lunar Success Story

India has a remarkable track record in lunar missions. In 2008, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-1, the country’s first lunar mission, which astounded the world with its findings. It was during this mission that the presence of water molecules on the moon’s surface was discovered, revolutionizing our understanding of Earth’s celestial neighbor.

4. The Launch and Lunar Landing

On July 14, 2023, at 2:35 PM IST, Chandrayaan-3 embarked on its journey to the moon from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The spacecraft, propelled by the Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3), carries both a lander and a rover. After successfully landing in August, the rover will be deployed to explore the lunar surface, particularly the South Pole, where the presence of water molecules was previously confirmed by Chandrayaan-1.

5. Enhanced Reliability and Precautions

ISRO has made significant modifications to Chandrayaan-3 to ensure a more reliable mission compared to its predecessor. The spacecraft consists of the Vikram lander, named after Vikram Sarabhai, the Pragyan rover, and a propulsion module. Weighing 1,752 kilograms, the Vikram Lander is around 280 kilograms heavier than its previous version, primarily due to additional precautions implemented by ISRO. The lander carries extra fuel to stay on its intended path, increasing the chances of a successful landing.

6. Total Weight and Orbiter’s Role

The collective weight of Chandrayaan-3 is approximately 3,900 kilograms. This includes the 2,148-kilogram propulsion module and the 1,752-kilogram lander and rover. The total weight is close to the maximum capacity of India’s most powerful rocket, the GSLV Mk III. Once in space, the orbiter will accompany Vikram towards the moon, adjusting its trajectory to enter a circular polar orbit 100 kilometers above the lunar surface.

7. The Pragyan Rover’s Exploration

Once Chandrayaan-3 safely lands on the moon, the Pragyan rover will be deployed to commence its exploration mission. The six-wheeled rover, powered by solar energy, will be released from Vikram using a ramp. Equipped with two spectrometers, the rover will study the composition of the moon’s surface. It will operate within the landing area for approximately 14 Earth days, equivalent to one lunar day of sunlight.

8. Scientific Instruments on Vikram Lander

The Vikram Lander is equipped with four scientific instruments to further enhance our understanding of the moon. These instruments include a seismometer designed to detect moonquakes, a device to study heat flow across the lunar surface, an instrument to analyze the plasma environment around the moon, and a retroreflector to investigate the gravitational interaction between the Moon and our planet.

9. Failure-Based Design Approach

ISRO has taken a unique approach to the design of Chandrayaan-3. Instead of relying solely on success-based strategies, the mission has been meticulously designed to accommodate potential failures of certain components. Various scenarios, such as sensor failure, engine failure, algorithm failure, and calculation failure, have been considered, and measures have been implemented to address each of them, ensuring a higher chance of a successful landing.

10. Joining the Lunar Landing Club

If Chandrayaan-3’s landing is successful, India will join a prestigious group of nations that have attempted lunar landings. Currently, the United States, the former Soviet Union, China, and Israel have ventured towards the moon. While the USSR has experienced both successes and failures in its 12 attempts, the United States has achieved successful landings in five out of eight missions. China, on the other hand, has accomplished two successful landings. With Chandrayaan-3, India strives to add its name to the list of nations that have made their mark on the lunar surface.

In conclusion, Chandrayaan-3 represents India’s ambitious endeavor to explore the moon further and gain valuable insights into our celestial neighbor. With enhanced reliability, a robust design, and valuable scientific instruments, this mission holds great promise for expanding our knowledge of the moon’s surface and contributing to future lunar exploration endeavors.

FAQs Facts About ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3

1. When was Chandrayaan-3 launched? Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, at 2:35 PM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

2. What are the objectives of Chandrayaan-3? The primary objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are to successfully land on the moon’s surface and deploy a rover to explore and study the lunar environment.

3. How does Chandrayaan-3 differ from Chandrayaan-2? Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2, with modifications and improvements to enhance reliability and increase the chances of a successful landing.

4. What are the scientific instruments on board the Vikram Lander? The Vikram Lander carries four scientific instruments, including a seismometer, a heat flow measurement device, a plasma environment analyzer, and a retroreflector.

5. Which countries have successfully landed on the moon so far? The United States, the former Soviet Union, China, and Israel are the nations that have attempted lunar landings, with varying degrees of success. India aims to join this group with Chandrayaan-3.

Note: The information provided above is based on available data and subject to updates and further discoveries.

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