India embarked on an extraordinary mission to explore the moon. This mission was called Chandrayaan, and it marked India's glorious entry into the elite group of nations venturing into lunar exploration. Let us take a closer look at Chandrayaan-3, the latest chapter in India's lunar odyssey, and its predecessors, Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-1.
Chandrayaan-1, the trailblazer, set off on its celestial journey on October 22, 2008. With indigenously developed technology, it aimed to create a detailed map of the moon's surface and study its chemical and mineral composition. Chandrayaan-1 circled the moon more than 3,400 times, capturing its beauty and mysteries from afar. However, after a successful mission of 312 days, contact with the spacecraft was lost on August 29, 2009. Nevertheless, Chandrayaan-1 made groundbreaking discoveries, including the detection of water and ice on the moon's surface. India's pride soared high as the country marked its place in lunar exploration history.
Building upon the success of Chandrayaan-1, India embarked on Chandrayaan-2, a mission with grand ambitions. Launched in July 2019, Chandrayaan-2 consisted of an Orbiter, Lander, and Rover. Its primary goal was to explore the moon's south pole, a region of great scientific interest. However, on September 7, 2019, as the Lander named Vikram and the Rover called Pragyaan neared the lunar surface, a system error led to an unfortunate crash landing. Although the Lander and Rover did not fulfill their mission, the Orbiter carried on and continued gathering valuable data. It provided crucial insights into the presence of water across the moon's surface, making Chandrayaan-2 another significant milestone in India's lunar exploration journey.
Now, with great enthusiasm and renewed determination, India launched Chandrayaan-3 on July 14 at 2:35 pm, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The objective of Chandrayaan-3 is to showcase India's growing technological prowess and achieve a successful soft landing on the lunar surface. A soft landing is like a graceful dance in space, where a spacecraft hurtles through the vastness, slows down, and gently touches down on its destination without human intervention.
The payloads aboard the lander and rover of Chandrayaan-3 will carry out critical scientific experiments. The lander will study lunar quakes, investigate the thermal properties of the lunar surface, examine changes in the plasma surrounding the moon, and perform a passive experiment to measure the distance between Earth and the moon accurately. One of the payloads on the lander comes from NASA, signifying international collaboration in space exploration.
The rover, equipped with two payloads, will analyze the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface. It aims to unravel the mysteries of elements like magnesium, aluminium, and iron present in the moon's soil and rocks. If successful, Chandrayaan-3 will become the world's first mission to achieve a soft landing near the lunar south pole, repeating the exploration path of its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2.
Why the south pole, you may wonder? The lunar south pole presents unique challenges and unparalleled scientific opportunities. Its extreme and contrasting conditions make it a tough landing site, but the region's characteristics hold the promise of groundbreaking discoveries. Scientists believe that the presence of volatiles, elements or compounds that melt or evaporate at moderately warm temperatures, is higher near the moon's south pole. By understanding the distribution of these volatiles, especially if they include hydrogen and oxygen, future space exploration and commerce could be revolutionized. It would reduce the need to transport essential supplies from Earth, opening new doors for humans to explore the depths of space.
Why will it take so many days for the lander to reach the moon?
The journey from Earth to the moon is a carefully orchestrated process that will take approximately 42 days for Chandrayaan-3. The Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-III) will lift off and place the spacecraft into an orbit around the Earth at an altitude of 179 km. Through a series of maneuvers, the spacecraft will gradually increase its orbit to escape Earth's gravity and set course for the moon. Upon approaching the moon, the spacecraft needs to be captured by its gravity.
Once captured, additional maneuvers will be executed to reduce the spacecraft's orbit to a circular one with a 100x100 km altitude. Subsequently, the lander, carrying the rover within it, will separate from the propulsion module and begin its powered descent towards the lunar surface.
The lander and rover have a mission life of one Lunar day, which lasts approximately 14 Earth days. This duration is because the moon takes around 28 Earth days to complete one rotation on its axis and one revolution around the Earth. The extreme drop in temperature during lunar nights makes it challenging for the lander and rover to survive. Therefore, they are scheduled to land at dawn when the temperature is relatively higher.
Why do we want to go to the moon?
The moon holds great significance in space exploration, as it is the closest celestial body to Earth. It provides an opportunity for space discovery and scientific exploration. Isro, during the time of Chandrayaan-2, stated that the moon serves as a promising testbed for demonstrating technologies required for future deep-space missions. By venturing to the moon, we can advance technology, foster global collaborations, and inspire future generations of explorers and scientists. The moon acts as a catalyst to stimulate progress, ignite curiosity, and pave the way for a brighter future in space exploration and scientific achievements.
As Chandrayaan-3 embarks on its celestial journey, we eagerly await India's triumphant return to the moon. The mission not only symbolizes the country's scientific prowess but also its indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries and reaching for the stars. India's story of Chandrayaan, with its triumphs and setbacks, continues to inspire generations and serves as a shining example of human curiosity, exploration, and the pursuit of knowledge in the great beyond.
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