Chandrayaan-3 Launch Date: On Monday (June 12), the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), S Somanath, made a significant announcement regarding Chandrayaan-3.
He stated that in the event of successful tests, India's ambitious lunar landing mission, Chandrayaan-3, is scheduled for launch between July 12 and 19.
This announcement was made during an event where Somanath inaugurated a workshop and space exhibition organized by ISRO.
At Kothavara St. Xavier's College, ISRO organized a one-day workshop and space exhibition, where ISRO chief Somanath made an appearance.
During the event, Somanath announced that Chandrayaan has been transported from the UR Rao Satellite Centre to the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
The final preparations for the mission are currently underway and are expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Somanath further provided details, stating that the LVM-3 rocket, designated for the mission, is currently undergoing assembly. All the required components for the launch have been delivered to Sriharikota.
Mr. Somanath emphasized that several improvements and modifications have been made to Chandrayaan-3 to ensure a smooth and successful mission. These include adjustments to its hardware, structure, computers, software, and sensors.
Notable enhancements involve increasing the fuel capacity and strengthening the landing legs. Additionally, large solar panels have been installed to generate more energy.
A new sensor has also been added to enhance measurement capabilities, specifically using a 'Laser Doppler VelociMeter' instrument developed last year.
Furthermore, algorithm changes and new software have been implemented to enable Chandrayaan-3 to adapt its landing location in the event of any issues at the planned site.
Chandrayaan-3 serves as a successor to Chandrayaan-2, aiming to showcase the complete capability of safely landing on and traversing the lunar surface.
ISRO has outlined three primary objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Firstly, it aims to demonstrate a secure and gentle landing on the lunar surface. Secondly, the mission seeks to showcase the ability of a rover to explore and navigate the Moon's terrain. Lastly, the Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
According to ISRO, the propulsion module will transport the lander and rover configuration to a lunar orbit of 100 km. The propulsion module is equipped with a payload known as Spectropolarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE), which is designed to analyze the spectral and polarimetric characteristics of Earth from the vantage point of the lunar orbit.