When Will Chandrayaan 3 Reach the Moon?
An illustration of Chandrayaan 3 heading towards moon
Chandrayaan 3, India’s third lunar mission, was launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. The spacecraft is currently in lunar orbit and is expected to make a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023.
The spacecraft will take about 40 days to reach the moon. This is because it is following a slower, more gradual trajectory than the direct Translunar Injection used by the Apollo missions. The slower trajectory will allow the spacecraft to make a smoother landing and will also give the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) more time to monitor the spacecraft’s systems.
The Chandrayaan 3 mission will be India’s first attempt to soft land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole. The south pole is a region of the moon that has not been extensively explored by other missions. The ISRO believes that the south pole may contain water ice, which could be a valuable resource for future space exploration.
The Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft consists of three parts: an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. The orbiter will study the moon’s surface and atmosphere. The lander will carry the rover, which will be used to explore the lunar surface.
The orbiter is the largest part of the spacecraft and will orbit the moon for about a year. It will carry a variety of instruments to study the moon’s surface, including a high-resolution camera, a spectrometer, and a magnetometer. The orbiter will also help to track the lander and rover during their missions.
The lander is the smallest part of the spacecraft and will be responsible for landing the rover on the lunar surface. It will also carry a few instruments to study the moon’s surface, including a seismometer and a heat probe.
The rover is the most important part of the Chandrayaan 3 mission. It will be used to explore the lunar surface and will carry a variety of instruments to study the soil, rocks, and atmosphere. The rover will also be able to communicate with the orbiter and send back data to Earth.
The Chandrayaan 3 mission is a major milestone for India’s space program. If successful, it will make India only the fourth country to soft land a spacecraft on the moon. The mission will also help India to gain more knowledge about the moon and its resources.
The ISRO is closely monitoring the Chandrayaan 3 mission and is confident that it will be successful. The agency is also planning to launch a fourth lunar mission, Chandrayaan 4, in the future.
Here are some of the challenges that the Chandrayaan 3 mission will face:
The south pole is a very cold and dark region of the moon. The lander and rover will need to be able to withstand these harsh conditions.
The south pole is also a very difficult place to land. The lander will need to be very precise in its landing in order to avoid crashing.
The south pole may contain water ice, but it is also possible that there is no water ice there. The lander and rover will need to be able to operate even if there is no water ice.
Despite these challenges, the Chandrayaan 3 mission is a very important step for India’s space program. If successful, it will make India a major player in the field of lunar exploration.
Video Credits: ISRO
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