Chandrayaan-3: Know the next crucial steps and ISRO's contingency plan
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for Chandrayaan-3's Moon landing tomorrow. The mission's lander module, carrying a rover inside, is expected to touch down near the Moon's south pole around 6:04pm IST on August 23. Chandrayaan-3 aims to explore the mysterious lunar south pole, which could be a vital source of oxygen and water—the key ingredients for sustaining life.
Chandrayaan-3 is designed to handle failure
Chandrayaan-3 incorporates lessons learned from its predecessor, the Chandrayaan-2, which failed to achieve a soft lunar landing in 2019. The mission's lander has been designed to handle failure. Per ISRO chairman S Somanath, even if all sensors and two engines fail, the lander can achieve a safe landing, provided the propulsion system works well. The lander module can achieve a gentle touchdown with a maximum speed of 10.8km/hr without risking any of the onboard instruments.
ISRO has to perform a crucial maneuver for safe landing
Chandrayaan-3 will "undergo internal checks and await the sunrise at the designated landing site" before it begins its lunar descent, said ISRO. The mission's lander module will undergo a crucial maneuver, which will bring it from a horizontal to a vertical orientation for a controlled landing on the Moon. Notably, the designated landing area for Chandrayaan-3 has been expanded fourfold compared to Chandrayaan-2. This increases the margin of error so as to accommodate unforeseen changes.
Lunar landing may be delayed if conditions are unfavorable
Chandrayaan-3's lunar landing may be rescheduled from August 23 to August 27 if conditions are unfavorable. The decision will be made two hours before the scheduled landing, based on the health of the lander module and conditions on the Moon.
Lander and rover will perform scientific investigations
After touchdown, the lander module, measuring about two meters tall and weighing over 1,700kg, will deploy the rover weighing 26kg. Both the lander and rover will perform scientific investigations and are equipped with payloads for that purpose. The lander experiments include performing mineral composition analysis of the lunar surface. The rover will conduct on-site chemical analyses of the Moon as it navigates the lunar surface.
How to watch the live telecast of the event?
You can watch Chandrayaan-3's historic lunar landing event via ISRO's YouTube account, ISRO's Facebook page, and the DD National TV channel. The live streaming for the event begins at 5:20pm IST on the YouTube channel.
