India lands a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole, a first for the world as it joins elite club

Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing Highlights: Chandrayaan-3 Lands On Moon, India Enters Elite Space Club

India has achieved a historic feat by successfully landing its third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, on the south pole of the Moon. The mission, which consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, aims to conduct scientific experiments and explore the lunar terrain. With this achievement, India becomes the only country to have ever landed on the south pole of the Moon, and the fourth country to have performed a soft landing on the lunar surface after the former Soviet Union, the United States and China.

The Journey of Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, using India's most powerful rocket, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III). The mission carried a total mass of 3900 kg, including the propulsion module, the lander module and the rover. The propulsion module carried the lander and rover from the injection orbit to the lunar orbit, where it separated from them on August 20, 2023. The lander and rover then performed a series of orbital maneuvers to lower their altitude and prepare for the landing.

The Landing of Chandrayaan-3

The powered descent of Chandrayaan-3's lander began on August 23, 2023, around 6 pm IST. The lander used its four throttleable engines and eight attitude control thrusters to reduce its speed and altitude, while also avoiding obstacles and finding a suitable landing site. The lander was equipped with various sensors and cameras to assist in this process. The lander successfully touched down on a flat plain near the south pole of the Moon at 6:04 pm IST, making history as the first spacecraft to do so. The lander then deployed its solar panels and antennas, and communicated with the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) in Byalalu, Karnataka.

The Rover of Chandrayaan-3

The rover of Chandrayaan-3, named Pragyan (meaning wisdom), came out of the lander at 6:15 pm IST. The rover is a six-wheeled vehicle that weighs 26 kg and can travel up to 500 meters on the lunar surface. The rover is powered by solar energy and communicates with the lander via radio link. The rover carries two scientific instruments: an Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and a Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). These instruments are designed to analyze the chemical composition of the lunar soil and rocks.

The Objectives of Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 has three main objectives: 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 mission will also explore the south pole region of the Moon, which is of great interest to scientists due to its potential for water ice and other resources. The mission will also study the lunar exosphere, which is a thin layer of atoms and molecules that surrounds the Moon. The mission will also test new technologies required for interplanetary missions.

The Significance of Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 is a significant milestone for India's space program, as it showcases its technological capabilities and scientific aspirations. The mission is also a testament to India's resilience and determination, as it follows the partial failure of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019, when its lander crashed on the lunar surface due to a technical glitch. Chandrayaan-3 is also a source of pride and inspiration for millions of Indians, especially young students and researchers who aspire to pursue careers in science and engineering. The mission is also a contribution to humanity's quest for knowledge and exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Source: 

(1) Chandrayaan-3 Details - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). https://www.isro.gov.in/Chandrayaan3_Details.html.

(2) Chandrayaan-3 mission: All you need to know about the landing. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/chandrayaan-3-landing-moon-explained-8904598/.

(3) Chandrayaan-3 - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan-3.

(4) LVM3-M4/CHANDRAYAAN-3 MOON MISSION - Indian Space Research Organisation .... https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/pdf/Missions/LVM3/LVM3M4_Chandrayaan3_brochure.pdf.

(5) Chandrayaan-3 FAQs: Landing schedule, budget & more. https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/chandrayaan-3-faqs-landing-schedule-budget-more-8836096/.

FAQ's

Is Chandrayaan-3 rover come out?

India's moon mission Chandrayaan-3 made a perfect landing today near the South Pole of the moon. The next big manoeuvre was the rolling out of the Pragyan rover, which will send data from the spot to the lander that will be relayed to space agency ISRO.

Who is the 1st country to land on moon?

India Becomes The First Country To Land On The Moon's South Pole. Insider News - YouTube.

चंद्रयान 3 रोवर बाहर आ गया है?

भारत के चंद्र मिशन चंद्रयान-3 ने आज चंद्रमा के दक्षिणी ध्रुव के पास सही लैंडिंग की। अगला बड़ा युद्धाभ्यास प्रज्ञान रोवर को बाहर निकालना था, जो घटनास्थल से डेटा को लैंडर तक भेजेगा जिसे अंतरिक्ष एजेंसी इसरो को रिले किया जाएगा।

Is Chandrayaan-3 successful landed?

It was a giant leap for India on Wednesday evening as the Chandrayaan-3 lander module successfully landed on the moon's South Pole, making it the first country to have achieved the historic feat and bringing to an end the disappointment over the crash landing of the Chandrayaan-2, four years ago.