An important step in India’s mission to explore the moon has been reached with the completion of the integration of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft with the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk-III) by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The space agency confirmed on July 5 that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft’s payload fairing was attached to India’s most powerful rocket at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
🚀LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3🛰️ Mission:
Today, at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, the encapsulated assembly containing Chandrayaan-3 is mated with LVM3. pic.twitter.com/4sUxxps5Ah
— ISRO (@isro) July 5, 2023
The moon mission will carry a lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragna), not an orbiter, as a propulsion module has replaced it. The lander has undergone a number of modifications after ISRO’s failed landing attempt in September 2019.
ISRO Chairman S Somnath said, “There are a lot of improvements on the lander. Basically, what were the deficiencies we were trying to overcome? One is the lander legs, which we expected could have withstood a higher velocity [during Chandrayaan-2]. So how much can we increase the velocity tolerance in the available structure? We have enhanced the landing velocity to 3m/second from 2m/second. That means even at 3m/sec, the lander will not crash or break [its legs]”.
According to Somanath the second change was to give the lander more fuel so it could withstand more disruptions and have the “ability to come back” to give the mission more breathing room.
Somanath further said, “Third, we have added a new sensor called the laser doppler velocity metre, which will look at the lunar terrain. And through laser source sounding, we will be able to get components of three velocity vectors. We will be able to add this to the other instruments available, thereby creating redundancy in measurement”.
Recently on July 3, Somanath said that the launch day for Chandrayaan 3 for a soft landing on the moon is July 13. While talking to the media, he stated, “We will be able to do a soft landing on the moon. The launch day is July 13, it can go upto 19th”.He said that the launch date would be July 13. However, it may go up to July 19.
Earlier on June 28, Somanath revealed that Chandrayaan 3 testing is complete, and the window of opportunity for the launch is aimed between July 12 and 19.
Somanath said, “Currently, the Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft is fully integrated. We have completed the testing and also mated with the rocket compartment… Currently, the window of opportunity for launch is between July 12 and 19, and we will take the earliest possible date, maybe the 12th, maybe the 13th or maybe the 14th. We will announce the exact date after all the tests are completed”.
Earlier in June, he also shared an update on Aditya-L1 Mission which is India’s first mission to study the Sun and said ISRO is aiming for August end as the target for its launch.
The ISRO chief also shared his views on Artemis Accords and believes that it is an opportunity for Indian industries that are working in the space sector to work with the US companies.
Somanath stated, “We are looking at Artemis Accord as a political engagement with the US. It is a statement of Intent that when the US is proposing collaborative work in the space sector, especially the exploration of outer planets in a very cordial atmosphere between different nations, we agree with that. So it has a big statement. We would like to work with the US, especially on technologies which are high-end, and space is one of them. It will open opportunities for Indian industries who are working in the space sector to work with the US companies that are equally working in the space sector”.
He added, “So the advancement of electronics, new processors, the centre takes place in the US and this access to this new technology to the Indian company is so important for them to innovate and bring up value which will give an opportunity to market them in the US market. This is precisely the objective of the US. So we would like to make sure the Indian companies contribute to the US space program. It’s not a great thing now. So, the earlier the US sees it as an opportunity because Indian companies have the technological strength today, they have cost-effectiveness, and they have a lower development cycle time which they want to bank on. So it is the purpose that it is jointly developed this whole accord signing is for the benefit of the US as well as the benefit of India”.
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