Date and Time of Chandrayaan-3 Landing Announced
The highly anticipated Chandrayaan-3 mission of India is on the verge of accomplishing a momentous lunar touchdown. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has now confirmed that the spacecraft is set to make a gentle landing on the south pole of the Moon. The scheduled date and time for Chandrayaan-3’s landing is August 23, 2023, around 18:04 IST.
India’s hopes of landing on the moon
This landmark effort by ISRO aims to strengthen India’s position as the fourth country to successfully achieve a soft landing on the Moon, following in the footsteps of the US, Russia and China.
“Mark your calendars for August 23, 2023 at 6:04 PM IST. Let’s share the excitement and positivity as we move towards this monumental moment,” announced ISRO at X.
To provide an immersive experience, the event can be watched live on ISRO’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook page and national broadcaster DD National TV from 23 August at 5:27 PM IST.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission has already reached a crucial step with the successful separation of the ‘Vikram’ landing module from the propulsion module. This was followed by the necessary deboosting maneuvers that guided the lander into a slightly lower orbit in preparation for landing on the Moon.
Vikram Sarabhai legacy
Named after Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary father of India’s space programme, the Chandrayaan-3 mission used the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy launch vehicle to place the spacecraft in lunar orbit on 5 August. orbital adjustments have gradually lowered its position closer to the surface of the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which began its development phase in January 2020, faced unexpected delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, pushing its launch from 2021 to the current date.
Chandrayaan-3’s goals include a safe and soft landing, using the rover for surface research and conducting in situ scientific experiments. The mission is budgeted at ₹250 crore excluding the cost of the launcher.
Learning from Chandrayaan-2
This mission is ISRO’s strategic response to the challenges faced by the Chandrayaan-2 mission during the 2019 soft landing attempt, which ultimately fell short of its primary objectives. The Chandrayaan-2 flight yielded valuable scientific insights, including the first global map of the lunar sodium distribution and the detection of lunar surface water ice by the IIRS instrument.
As the countdown to Chandrayaan-3’s moon landing continues, ISRO Chairman S Somanath has expressed confidence in the progress of the mission and stressed that all systems are working as planned. The successful outcome of this mission promises to unlock a wealth of information about the Moon’s history, its effects on life on Earth, and the expansion of human exploration into the wider solar system and beyond.
