India's third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, is on its way to make history by attempting a soft landing near the south pole of the Moon. The mission, which consists of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, was launched on July 15, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The lander, named Vikram, separated from the orbiter on August 18, 2023, and began its descent to a lower orbit around the Moon. On the same day, Vikram sent back its first pictures of the lunar surface, captured by the Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1.
What do the pictures show?
The pictures shared by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on X (formerly Twitter) show different craters and features of the Moon, such as the Giordano Bruno crater, the Harkhebi J crater, and the propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3. The Giordano Bruno crater is one of the youngest and most prominent craters on the Moon, with a diameter of about 22 km and a depth of about 4 km. It is located on the far side of the Moon and is believed to have formed less than a million years ago by a large asteroid impact. The Harkhebi J crater is a smaller crater with a diameter of about 43 km, located near the south pole of the Moon. The propulsion module is the part of Chandrayaan-3 that carried Vikram close to the Moon and will continue to orbit around it for a year.
What is the significance of these pictures?
These pictures are not only visually stunning but also scientifically valuable. They provide high-resolution images of the lunar terrain and help in identifying potential landing sites for Vikram. They also demonstrate the technical capabilities and achievements of ISRO and India's space program. ISRO said that these pictures were taken at an altitude of about 100 km from the surface of the Moon and have a resolution of about 5 meters per pixel.
What are the next steps for Chandrayaan-3?
Vikram will continue to lower its orbit around the Moon until it reaches a perilune (closest point to the Moon) of 30 km and an apolune (farthest point from the Moon) of 100 km. On August 23, 2023, Vikram will attempt to land near the south pole of the Moon, which is a region that has not been explored by any previous mission. The south pole is of interest because it has areas that are permanently shadowed and may contain water ice and other resources. If successful, Vikram will deploy its rover, Pragyaan, which will explore the surface of the Moon for 14 days (one lunar day). Pragyaan will collect data on the composition and geology of the lunar soil and rocks, as well as conduct experiments on solar radiation and thermal conductivity.
Conclusion
Chandrayaan-3 is India's most ambitious and complex lunar mission to date. It aims to expand our knowledge and understanding of the Moon and its environment. It also showcases India's prowess and potential in space exploration and technology. The first pictures sent by Vikram are a testament to the hard work and dedication of ISRO and its scientists. We hope that Vikram will successfully land on the Moon and make India proud.
Source:
(1) Lander Vikram Sends First Pics Of Moon After Detaching From Spacecraft. https://www.ndtv.com/science/chandrayaan-3-vikram-lander-live-updates-lander-vikram-has-taken-its-first-pictures-of-moon-heres-what-they-show-4308668.
(2) Chandrayaan-3: Lander Vikram sends first pictures of moon after .... https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/techandscience/chandrayaan-3-lander-vikram-sends-first-pictures-of-moon-after-detaching-from-spacecraft-watch/ar-AA1frIB3.
(3) Chandrayaan-3: India's lunar lander Vikram sends close-up photos of Moon. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-66541956.
(4) India's lunar lander sends close-up photos of Moon - BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-66541956.amp.
0 Comments