The moon has always fascinated humanity with its beauty, mystery and influence. For centuries, people have observed, worshipped and explored the moon in various ways. In the 21st century, the moon has become a destination for scientific and technological exploration, as well as a symbol of national pride and achievement.
India is one of the countries that has embarked on a lunar exploration program, called Chandrayaan, which means "moon-craft" in Sanskrit. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the national space agency of India, is responsible for developing and executing the Chandrayaan program. ISRO was founded in 1969 to develop an independent Indian space program, and has since launched several satellites, rockets and missions for various purposes. ISRO's vision is to "harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration".
The Chandrayaan program consists of three phases: Chandrayaan 1, Chandrayaan 2 and Chandrayaan 3. The first phase, Chandrayaan 1, was launched in 2008 and successfully orbited the moon for about a year, making India the fourth country to do so. Chandrayaan 1 carried 11 scientific instruments from India and other countries, and made several discoveries, such as the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface.
The second phase, Chandrayaan 2, was launched in 2019 and consisted of an orbiter, a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan. The mission aimed to achieve a soft landing near the south pole of the moon, which is considered an area of high scientific interest due to the possibility of water ice deposits. However, the lander lost contact with the orbiter during the final descent and crashed on the lunar surface.
The third phase, Chandrayaan 3, was planned to be launched in 2022 and will attempt to repeat the landing attempt of Chandrayaan 2. It was later rescheduled in 2023. The mission consisted of a lander and a rover similar to those of Chandrayaan 2, but without an orbiter. The lander will carry four scientific payloads from India and one from Japan, while the rover will carry two payloads from India. The mission will also demonstrate new technologies such as laser guidance and hazard avoidance for landing.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft entered the lunar orbit on 5 August 2023, and performed a series of orbital maneuvers to lower its altitude and prepare for landing. On 23 August 2023, the Vikram lander successfully separated from the propulsion module and initiated a powered descent to the lunar surface. The lander touched down near the south pole of the Moon at 18:03 hrs IST, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, and the first to do so near the lunar south pole.
The Vikram lander deployed the Pragyan rover shortly after landing. The rover rolled down from the lander ramp and began its exploration of the lunar terrain. The rover has a mass of 26 kg and is powered by solar energy. It can travel up to 500 meters and communicate with the lander and the orbiter. The rover carries two scientific instruments: a Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) and an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), which can analyze the chemical composition of the lunar soil and rocks.
The Chandrayaan program reflects India's hard work, determination, innovation and ambition in space exploration. Despite facing many challenges, such as limited resources, technical difficulties and geopolitical pressures, India has managed to achieve remarkable feats in lunar science and technology. ISRO has developed its own launch vehicles, satellites and payloads with indigenous capabilities and low costs. For example, Chandrayaan 1 cost only about $80 million, while Chandrayaan 2 cost about $140 million. These are much lower than the costs of similar missions by other countries.
India has also shown a benevolent attitude towards international cooperation and sharing of knowledge in space exploration. ISRO has collaborated with several countries and agencies, such as NASA, ESA, JAXA and ROSCOSMOS, in its lunar missions. ISRO has also offered its launch services to other countries at affordable rates. For example, ISRO launched 104 satellites in one rocket in 2017, setting a world record. ISRO has also contributed to various global initiatives such as the International Space Station (ISS), the Interplanetary Network (IPN) and the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters.
The Chandrayaan program is not only a scientific and technological endeavor, but also a cultural and educational one. It has inspired millions of Indians, especially young students, to pursue their dreams and aspirations in space sciences and engineering. It has also raised awareness and curiosity among the public about the moon and its mysteries. It has also showcased India's achievements and potential to the world.
In conclusion, Chandrayaan 3 is a continuation of India's quest for the moon that began with Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2. It is a testament to India's hard work, determination, innovation and ambition in space exploration. It is also a demonstration of India's benevolence, cooperation and sharing of knowledge in space exploration. It is also a source of inspiration, education and pride for India and its people.
What are the scientific objectives of Chandrayaan-3?
The scientific objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are to explore the lunar south pole region, which is of scientific interest and potential for future human habitation. According to the ISRO website, the mission has three main objectives:
1 To demonstrate safe and soft landing on the surface of the moon.
2 To demonstrate rover operations on the moon.
3 To conduct in-situ scientific experiments on the lunar surface.
The lander and rover will carry various instruments to perform these objectives, such as spectrometers, seismometers, cameras, and laser reflectors. The lander will also communicate with the rover and the orbiter, which will relay the data to Earth. The mission will also provide valuable data for future lunar missions, such as LUPEX, which is planned to launch in 2024 and land near the Shackleton crater at the lunar south pole.
Some of the specific scientific goals of Chandrayaan-3 are:
1 To study the topography, morphology, mineralogy, and elemental composition of the lunar south pole region .
2 To measure the thermal properties and seismic activity of the lunar surface and subsurface.
3 To investigate the presence and distribution of water ice and other volatiles in the permanently shadowed regions.
4 To test new technologies and techniques for lunar exploration and habitation.
Chandrayaan-3 is a remarkable achievement for India and a milestone for lunar exploration. It demonstrates India's technological prowess and scientific curiosity, as well as its contribution to global space cooperation. The mission also inspires millions of people around the world to dream about the wonders of space and the possibilities of human exploration beyond Earth.
Budget of Chandrayaan 3
The cost of Chandrayaan-3 is one of the most frequently asked questions about India's third lunar exploration mission. According to the former Chairman of ISRO, K Sivan, the total cost of Chandrayaan-3 is Rs. 615 crore, which is approximately $75 million. This budget includes the cost of the lander, rover, and propulsion module, as well as the launch cost.
The cost of Chandrayaan-3 is remarkably low compared to other similar missions conducted by other countries. For instance, China's Chang'e 4 mission, which landed on the far side of the moon in 2018, had an estimated budget of $8.4 billion . Russia's Luna 25 mission, which crash-landed on the moon in 2023, had an estimated budget of Rs. 1,600 crore . Even India's previous mission, Chandrayaan-2, had a higher budget of Rs. 978 crore.
The low cost of Chandrayaan-3 is a result of ISRO's frugal engineering and innovation. ISRO has improved the design of the lander and rover based on the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2, which failed to make a soft landing on the moon in 2019. ISRO has also reused the orbiter from Chandrayaan-2, which is still operational in the lunar orbit, for communication and navigation purposes. Moreover, ISRO has leveraged its indigenous capabilities and resources to reduce the dependence on foreign suppliers and technologies.
The low cost of Chandrayaan-3 does not compromise its scientific and technological objectives. The mission aims to explore the lunar south pole region, which is of scientific interest and potential for future human habitation. The mission will also conduct various experiments and observations on the lunar surface and subsurface using various instruments on board the lander and rover.