On Friday, July 14, 2023, India accomplished the successful launch of its Chandrayaan 3 moon mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This mission, India’s third lunar mission, aims to land a spacecraft on the Moon’s surface. Consisting of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, the spacecraft will conduct extensive studies and exploration.
The orbiter:
Named Chandrayaan-3 Orbiter, serving as a vital research platform for studying the Moon. Its the largest component weighing approximately 2,379 kilograms and comparable in size to a car, will diligently examine the Moon’s surface and atmosphere. Equipped with a high-resolution camera, spectrometer, and magnetometer, the orbiter will also serve as a communication link between the lander, rover, and Earth.
The Lander:
Named Vikram after Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary pioneer of the Indian space program, weighing about 1,471 kilograms and similar in size to a refrigerator, its main objective is to achieve a landing near the Moon’s south pole. Once on the lunar surface, it will deploy the rover, marking a significant milestone for India’s space program.
The Rover:
The rover, named Pragyan, meaning “wisdom” in Sanskrit, will undertake a comprehensive examination of the Moon’s geology and composition for a period of up to 14 days. Success in this mission would make India the fourth country, following the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China, to accomplish a lunar landing.
The launch of Chandrayaan 3 sparked immense enthusiasm in India, with crowds gathering at the space center to witness the event. The nation felt a profound sense of pride, recognizing this achievement as a testament to India’s advancing technological capabilities and its space program’s growing prominence.
Scheduled to reach the Moon in August 2023, the Chandrayaan 3 mission, if the landing proves successful, will signify a remarkable accomplishment for India and a substantial leap forward in lunar exploration.
The success of the Chandrayaan 3 mission is a testament to the unwavering dedication and hard work of the scientists and engineers involved. It represents a remarkable achievement that will pave the way for future endeavors, both on the Moon and beyond, driving the boundaries of human exploration ever further.
Watch the rerun of the launch here:
