The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched Chandrayan-3 today, on the 14th of July 2023. The launch was carried out from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR) in Sriharikota, the Spaceport of India. Chandrayan-3 is India’s third Lunar Exploration Mission, containing a Lander and Pragyan Rover configuration, which is similar to Chandrayan-2. But it does not have an Orbiter and its propulsion module behaves like a Communication Relay Satellite and launched by the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3)-M4. The Chandrayan-3 Satellite separated as per schedule into an elliptical path at 14:51:41 hrs IST accomplishing a successful launch mission.
According to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. It consists of Lander and Rover configuration. The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit. The propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
Objectives of Chandrayan-3
The objectives set by ISRO for the Chandrayan-3 are as follows.
- Getting a lander safe and soft landing on the surface of the Moon
- Observing and demonstrating the rover’s loitering capabilities on the Moon
- In-site scientific observation making scientific experiments on the chemical and natural elements, soil, water, etc. available on the surface of the Moon to better understand and practice the composition of the Moon. Interplanetary refers to the development and demonstration of new technologies required for missions between two planets
The Chandrayan-1 was launched on Oct 22, 2008 using a PSLV-C11 Launch Vehicle. Chandrayan-2 launch was on 22nd July 2019 using a GSLV-Mk III Launch Vehicle. Today, on 14 July 2023, the Chandrayan-3 was successfully done using LVM3-M4 Launch Vehicle.
Read more about Chandrayan-3 here
Read more about SDSC SHAR here
Atyutka congratulates ISRO and everyone worked directly or indirectly behind this great mission on its successful Lauch. Wishing a safe landing of the Pragyan Rover on the surface of Moon a successful mission completion.
Watch the Live Launch on YouTube – Video published by ISRO
