The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a significant milestone in its space exploration endeavors by successfully integrating the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft with the Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre. This development sets the stage for the much-anticipated launch of Chandrayaan-3, scheduled for July 13 at 2.30 PM. Building upon the lessons learned from the previous Chandrayaan-2 mission, the upcoming lunar mission aims to demonstrate India’s capability for a soft landing on the Moon and conduct scientific exploration.
Objective of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Chandrayaan-3 is a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which faced a setback in September 2019 when its Vikram lander failed to achieve a successful soft landing on the lunar surface. The primary objective of Chandrayaan-3 remains the same—to showcase India’s ability to achieve a controlled and precise landing on the Moon. The mission involves delivering a lander module and a rover to the lunar surface, which will conduct scientific experiments and chemical analysis of the lunar terrain.
Chandrayaan-3 Spacecraft and its Components: The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft comprises three essential components—a lander module, a propulsion module, and a rover. The lander is designed to execute a soft landing at a predetermined location on the Moon, from where it will deploy the rover. Both the lander and the rover carry a suite of scientific payloads to facilitate experiments and data collection on the lunar surface. The propulsion module’s primary function is to transport the lander and rover from the launch vehicle injection phase to a 100-kilometer circular polar lunar orbit before separating from the other modules.
LVM-3: The Launch Vehicle for Chandrayaan-3: LVM-3, also known as the Launch Vehicle Mark-III, is a powerful three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO. With a height of 43.5 meters and a diameter of 4 meters, it is the most capable rocket in ISRO’s fleet and will be employed for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The LVM-3 boasts a lift-off mass of 640 tonnes and can carry payloads weighing up to 8,000 kilograms to a low-Earth orbit. Additionally, it has the capability to transport approximately 4,000 kilograms of payload to a geostationary transfer orbit. Powered by India’s largest cryogenic engine, CE-20, and supported by two S200 solid rocket boosters, the LVM-3 is equipped to deliver the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft to its intended trajectory.
With the successful integration of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft and the LVM-3, ISRO is primed for its upcoming lunar mission. Chandrayaan-3 represents India’s dedication to advancing space exploration and building upon past experiences to achieve remarkable scientific milestones. As the launch date approaches, anticipation grows for India’s renewed endeavor to demonstrate its soft landing capabilities on the Moon and further contribute to our understanding of Earth’s celestial neighbor.
