New Delhi — The scientists of India’s space program were filled with joy on Friday as a massive rocket launched into the sky, carrying an unmanned spacecraft on a mission to explore the dark side of the moon. The successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, accompanied by its lunar lander and small rover, aboard the LVM3-M4 heavy-lift rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre marked a significant milestone for India’s space exploration efforts. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) hailed the launch as a “text-book launch,” with the rocket flawlessly delivering the spacecraft into orbit.
Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission, aims to achieve a soft landing near the unexplored south pole of the moon. Building on the data collected by the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, which is still in lunar orbit, the mission hopes to uncover new insights into the moon’s composition. The spacecraft is expected to reach the moon after a 40-day journey, with the landing scheduled for August 23. If successful, India would join the United States, Russia, and China as the fourth country to successfully land on the moon.
The previous attempt by India to land on the moon’s surface in 2019 with Chandryaan-2 ended in disappointment when the lander crashed. However, the orbiter from that mission continues to provide valuable data on the moon’s atmosphere, which will aid Chandrayaan-3 in its mission. The upcoming landing will be a crucial moment for India’s space program and a testament to the relentless dedication of its scientists.
If the touchdown is successful, the rover will spend approximately 14 Earth days exploring the moon’s surface and collecting scientific data. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his pride and admiration for the mission, stating that Chandrayaan-3 “scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey” and symbolizes the dreams and ambitions of every Indian.
India’s initial lunar mission 13 years ago was hailed as a major success when water molecules were discovered around the moon’s south pole. This groundbreaking finding sparked global excitement and raised the possibility of sustaining human life on the moon in the future. India’s ongoing moon missions serve as a testament to the country’s growing space capabilities.
ISRO Chief Sreedhara Panicker Somanath acknowledged the lessons learned from the previous crash and implemented improvements in the lander design for Chandrayaan-3. Weighing a total of 4.3 tons, Chandrayaan-3 carries the lander named Vikram weighing about 3,300 pounds and the rover named Pragyaan weighing less than 60 pounds.
Somanath expressed optimism about the mission’s objectives, stating that the rover is equipped with five instruments to study the moon’s surface, its atmosphere, and the tectonic activity beneath the surface. The mission aims to collect data on the chemical composition of lunar soil, seismic activity, and thermal properties near the moon’s south pole. The launch captivated millions of Indians across TV and social media platforms, evoking a sense of pride and joy in witnessing the nation’s space achievements.
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