Chandrayaan-3 Launch Date, Mission, Live Updates: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that India’s moon mission Chandrayaan 3 will launch on July 14 at 2:35 p.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.The date was later confirmed by Secretary of Space department and ISRO Chairman S. Somnath at a press briefing on the sidelines of the G-20 Fourth Economy Leaders Meeting in Bengluru.
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Chandrayaan-3 Launch Countdown Live Updates
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) tweeted on Tuesday that the ‘Launch Rehearsal’ for Chandrayaan 3 had been completed successfully. The rehearsal involved a comprehensive simulation of the entire launch preparation and process, spanning 24 hours.
About the Chandrayaan 3
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will be launched by the Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3). Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up to Chandrayaan-2, to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2 that will demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe lunar landing and wandering. The Lander and Rover configurations make up Chandrayaan-3. Chandrayaan-3 will be launched by Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-3) from Sriharikota’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Chandrayaan-3 is consists of Lander Module (LM), Propulsion Module (PM) and a Rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for Interplanetary Missions. The Lander and Rover are equipped with research payloads to conduct experiments on the lunar surface. The launcher for Chandrayaan-3 is designated as GSLV-MK3.
Process of launching of Chandrayaan 3
Chandrayaan-3 is expected to soft land between August 23 and 24 at moon’s South Pole, the area which will have sunlight. The spacecraft’s solar panels must be exposed to sunlight. If these two dates are not met, the landing will be postponed until September, when the moon will be illuminated. The moon is illuminated for 14-15 days.
Objectives of Chandrayaan-3
- To demonstrate safe and soft landing on the lunar surface.
- To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon.
- To conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
Technologies used in Chandrayaan-3
To achieve the objectives of the mission, several technologies are used in Lander and that are:
- Altimeters: Laser and RF based Altimeters.
- Velocimeters: Laser Doppler Velocimeter and Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera.
- Inertial Measurement: Laser Gyro based Inertial referencing and Accelerometer package.
- Propulsion System: 800N Throttleable Liquid Engines, 58N altitude thrusters and Throttleable Engine Control Electronics.
- Navigation, Guidance and Control: Powered descent trajectory design and associate software elements.
- Hazard Detection and Avoidance: Lander hazard detection & avoidance camera and processing algorithm.
- Landing Leg Mechanism.
Test carried out for soft landing of Chandrayaan 3
- Integrated Cold Test: The helicopter was used as a test platform for the demonstration of integrated sensors and navigation.
- Integrated Hot Test: For the demonstration of closed loop performance test with sensors, actuators and NGC using tower crane as test platform.
- Lander Leg Mechanism performance test on a lunar stimulant test bed simulating different touch down conditions.
Importance of the Chandrayaan 3 Mission
Missions such as Chandrayaan are significant because they involve numerous countries. These coordinated efforts promote scientific exchange and international friendship. There is a potential for future international cooperation in exploring the south-polar region of the Moon. This region contains craters that are perpetually shadowed and devoid of sunlight. These cold, shadowed sites are believed to contain hydrogen, water, ice, and possibly even primordial material that can provide insights into the origins of our Solar System. Additionally, the largest lunar crater is located in the south polar region, and its formation around 4 billion years ago remains a mystery. Exploring and understanding our celestial neighbor will greatly contribute to our understanding of the cosmos.
The question of why India should engage in such high-tech endeavours rather than focusing on widely available technologies for the public good may arise. The answer lies in the fact that these high-tech areas can indeed be used for the public good as well. Developing countries require knowledge in these areas to enhance the quality of life for their citizens. Space technologies have become indispensable for weather prediction, marine resource assessment, forest cover estimation, communication, defense, and various other domains. Every country must strike a balance between futuristic and immediately relevant technologies, allocating resources accordingly.
R. Chidambaram, a former Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, once emphasized that active participation in emerging technologies positions a nation as a leader in that field, granting it leverage in international negotiations. This, in turn, enables a country to enhance its science and technology base, ultimately improving the lives of its citizens and elevating its prestige.
