ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 Moon Mission Launched:
This is a proud moment for India, as the Indian Space Research Organisation launched its third lunar mission – Chandrayaan 3 on board the heavy-lift LVM3-M4 rocket in Sriharikota on July 14. The Vikram lander of the mission is expected to soft-land on the surface of the South Pole region of the Moon on around August 23 or August 24. As the 25.30-hour countdown reached its conclusion, the LVM3-M4 rocket, recognized as the largest and heaviest in its category and affectionately referred to as ‘Fat Boy,’ gracefully ascended from the second launch pad at the scheduled time of 2:35 p.m. Thick plumes of smoke trailed behind it, creating a striking visual display.
14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India’s space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. pic.twitter.com/EYTcDphaES
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023
Today’s lunar expedition follows the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 mission where space scientists are aiming for a soft landing on the surface of the moon. A successful mission would make India enter the club of nations achieving such a feat, the others being the United States, China and the former Soviet Union.
Sixteen minutes after lift-off, the propulsion module successfully separated from the rocket and would orbit the earth for about 5-6 times in an elliptical cycle with 170 km closest and 36,500 km farthest from Earth moving towards the lunar orbit.
The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Once the spacecraft lands, it will be operational for the duration of one lunar day, which roughly equates to 14 Earth days. It is noteworthy that a single day on the Moon corresponds to a period of 14 days here on Earth.
The dream run of India’s ambitious second lunar mission, Chandrayaan 2 ended in a tragedy early on September 7 as the Indian Space Research Organisation lost contact with the spacecraft’s lander Vikram.
