India has achieved another milestone in space exploration as its latest mission, Chandrayaan-3, safely landed on the moon’s South Pole. This mission was a follow-up to Chandrayaan-2, aiming to showcase an end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
Launched by the LVM3 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota, Chandrayaan-3 had a special configuration that included a Lander and Rover. While on its course to the moon, the propulsion module, equipped with the SHAPE payload, was responsible for carrying both configurations to a 100 km lunar orbit. The SHAPE payload’s objective is to study spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
The Lander contains significant payloads, including the ChaSTE, which measures the lunar surface’s thermal conductivity and temperature, the ILSA to measure seismic activity around the landing site, and a Langmuir Probe (LP) for assessing plasma density and its variations. In collaboration with NASA, a passive Laser Retroreflector Array has been included for lunar laser ranging studies.
The Rover, on the other hand, has been equipped with the APXS and the LIBS. These instruments are geared to determine the elemental composition near the landing site.
Chandrayaan-3’s primary objective is to demonstrate new technologies for interplanetary missions. The Lander will deploy the Rover to carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface. A series of advanced technologies such as Laser & RF based Altimeters, Laser Doppler Velocimeter, and Lander Hazard Detection & Avoidance Camera have been incorporated in the Lander to ensure safe landing and exploration.
This mission’s significant specifications include a one lunar day (~14 Earth days) mission life for both the Lander and Rover, with a landing site located at 69.367621 S, 32.348126 E. The combined weight of the mission is 3900 kg, with the propulsion module and the Lander module generating 758W and 738W, respectively.
Scientific payloads have been meticulously planned for Chandrayaan-3. The Lander’s objectives include studying near-surface plasma, understanding lunar surface thermal properties, measuring seismic activity, and utilizing the Laser Retroreflector Array for the moon system’s dynamics. The Rover aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the lunar surface through elemental analysis.
Furthermore, the Propulsion Module’s SHAPE payload looks towards the future, aiming at identifying exoplanets that might qualify for habitability.
For more details, updates, videos, and galleries, please visit the official Chandrayaan-3 web portal: https://twitter.com/isro
