CHANDRAYAAN-3
1. Context
- Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar mission of the ISRO. It follows the Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions.
- The primary objective of Chandrayaan-3 is to achieve a successful landing on the Moon's surface, rectifying the setback faced by its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, in 2019.
- The Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to demonstrate India's capability to soft-land a lander and rover on the lunar surface.
- By executing a precise landing, ISRO intends to showcase the technological advancements and expertise of the Indian space program.
- The mission will contribute to expanding our understanding of the Moon, its geological features, and its evolution.
- To ensure the success of Chandrayaan-3, ISRO has incorporated improvements and modifications based on the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2.
- These include enhancements in the design and functioning of the lander and rover, as well as improvements in navigation and landing systems.
- Rigorous testing and evaluations have been conducted to address the shortcomings identified during the previous mission.
- It can be expected that they will be similar to those carried by Chandrayaan-2, aiming to study lunar topography, mineralogy, surface composition, and the Moon's environment.
- These instruments will gather valuable data to further our knowledge of the Moon and contribute to scientific research.
3. Chandrayaan-2 Mission and its Objectives and Discoveries
- The Chandrayaan-2 mission, launched on July 22, 2019, had a multifaceted objective.
- While the most discussed goal was to demonstrate the ability to soft-land a lander and rover on the unexplored south pole of the Moon, it also aimed to expand lunar scientific knowledge through various studies.
- These studies included detailed investigations of topography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, surface chemical composition, topsoil thermo-physical characteristics and the lunar atmosphere composition.
4. Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter
- Despite the challenges faced by the Vikram lunar lander, which crash-landed on the Moon's surface on September 6, 2019, the Mission's orbiter remained fully operational.
- The orbiter gathered a wealth of new information about the Moon and its environment, significantly contributing to our understanding of the lunar surface, sub-surface and exosphere.
- The data collected by the orbiter added valuable insights into the exploration of permanently shadowed regions and the study of craters and boulders beneath the regolith.
5. Reasons for Failure of the Vikram Lander
- The landing attempt of the Chandrayaan-2 Mission's Vikram lander encountered a setback when ISRO lost contact shortly before the scheduled touchdown on September 7.
- The lander was decelerating but failed to slow down to the required safe landing speed of 2 meters per second.
- Designed to absorb an impact even at 5 meters per second, Vikram hit the Moon's surface at a much higher speed, resulting in damage to itself and its instruments.
- The crash landing of the Vikram lander prevented the successful demonstration of soft landing technology in space.
- However, ISRO identified and rectified the small error responsible for the failure, paving the way for the upcoming Chandrayaan-3 mission to showcase this technology without any glitches.
- Furthermore, the crash landing also resulted in missed opportunities for gathering additional data about the lunar terrain, composition and mineralogy.
6. The Way Forward
- The lander Vikram and rover Pragyaan was equipped with instruments to conduct surface observations, which, combined with the orbiter's support, could have provided diverse sets of data contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the Moon.
- With Chandrayaan-3 on the horizon, ISRO aims to overcome previous challenges, achieve a successful soft landing on the Moon, and advance scientific exploration by collecting valuable information about our celestial neighbour.
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For Prelims: Vikram lander, Chandrayaan-3, Chandrayaan-2, Moon, ISRO, lunar mission, celestial body,
For Mains:
1. Discuss the primary objective of Chandrayaan-3 and its significance in India's space exploration efforts. (250 Words)
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Previous Year Questions 1. In the context of space technology, what is "Bhuvan", recently in the news? (UPSC 2010)
A. A mini satellite, launched by ISRO for promoting the distance education in India
B. The name given to the next Moon Impact Probe, for Chandrayan-II
C. A geoportal of ISRO with 3 D imaging capabilities of India
D. A space telescope developed by India
Answer: C 2. What will be India's second moon mission by ISRO? (Maharashtra Talathi 2019) A. Chandrayaan 1 B. Chandrayaan 1.A C. Chandrayaan 2 D. Chandrayaan 3 Answer: C 3. Chandrayaan - 2 was launched from which of the following states by ISRO? (DSSSB LDC 2019) A. Maharashtra B. Rajasthan C. Kerala D. Andhra Pradesh Answer: D 4. The phases of the moon as we see from the Earth are due to changing relative positions of the sun, the earth and the moon. Which of the following statements is true? (CTET 2022)
A. on a full moon day, the earth comes between the sun and the moon
B. on a new moon day, the moon is in between the earth and the sun
C. on a full moon day, the moon is in between the earth and the sun
D. on a new moon day, the earth is between the sun and the moon.
E. on a new moon day, the sun is between the moon and the earth
1. A, B 2. B, C 3. C, D 4. A, E Answer: 1 5. ISRO is related to: (SSC JE EE 2020) A. space research B. agricultural research C. seed research D. marine research Answer: A 6. “The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that has sides one million kilometres long, with lasers shining between the craft.” The experiment in question refers to (UPSC 2020) A. Voyager-2 B. New Horizons C. LISA Pathfinder D. Evolved LISA Answer: D
1. India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space missions, both in terms of technology and logistics? Explain critically (UPSC GS3, 2017)
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Source: The Indian Express
