Chandrayaan-3: India’s Historic Achievement in Lunar Exploration

India has made history by successfully landing a spacecraft on the Moon’s south pole, a feat that no other country has ever achieved. Chandrayaan-3, the third lunar mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, similar to those of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The mission aims to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, to demonstrate a rover roving on the Moon and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

The Journey of Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) rocket.  The launch was successful and the spacecraft entered the Earth’s orbit. After performing five orbit-raising manoeuvres, Chandrayaan-3 left the Earth’s orbit and entered the lunar transfer trajectory on July 23, 2023. The spacecraft then performed four orbit-lowering manoeuvres around the Moon and reached its final orbit of 100 km x 30 km on August 14, 2023.
The powered descent of Chandrayaan-3’s lander began on August 23, 2023, around 6 pm IST. The lander used its thrusters to reduce its speed and altitude, while avoiding obstacles and finding a suitable landing site. The lander successfully touched down on the lunar surface at 6:04 pm IST, near the south pole of the Moon at 70 degrees latitude.  The landing site is a flat plain between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N. The lander deployed its solar panels and antennas and established communication with the ISRO ground station.
The rover Pragyan came out of the lander at 6:30 pm IST and began its exploration of the lunar terrain. The rover is powered by solar energy and can travel up to 500 meters from the lander. The rover carries two scientific instruments: an Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and a Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). These instruments can analyse the chemical composition of the lunar soil and rocks
The Scientific Objectives of Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 has several scientific objectives that aim to enhance our understanding of the Moon and its environment. Some of these objectives are:

• To study the topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, surface thermo-physical characteristics and tectonic activity of the lunar south polar region.

• To measure the vertical temperature gradient and thermal conductivity of the lunar surface.

• To detect any seismic activity or moonquakes on the lunar surface.

• To measure the density and variation of plasma in the lunar ionosphere.

• To study the polarimetry of Earth’s atmosphere from lunar orbit.

The Significance of Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 is a significant achievement for India and for humanity as a whole. It demonstrates India’s technological prowess and scientific ambition in space exploration. It also opens up new possibilities for future missions to the Moon and beyond. Some of the significance of Chandrayaan-3 are:

• It is the first mission to land on the lunar south pole, which is considered to be a potential site for future human settlements and resource extraction.

• It is the first mission to use an indigenous cryogenic engine for launching a spacecraft to the Moon.

• It is one of the most cost-effective lunar missions ever undertaken, with a budget of only Rs. 978 crore (about $130 million)

• It is expected to provide valuable data and insights for advancing lunar science and exploration.

The Conclusion
Chandrayaan-3 is a remarkable achievement for India and a proud moment for all Indians. It showcases India’s capability and commitment to explore the final frontier of space. It also contributes to the global endeavour of understanding our natural satellite, the Moon. Chandrayaan-3 is not only a mission, but also a vision for India’s future in space.