ISRO’s new launch: Chandrayaan 3- Edited by Aishee Biswas

On March 22,  the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), announced that India's third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 , as well as its first solar mission, Aditya L1, are expected to launch in mid-2023. This plan was vocalized by the chief of ISRO at the Indian Capabilities for Space and Planetary Exploration.

 

This has created a buzz amongst the netizens. According to the reports, the chairman of ISRO has shared that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has been fully assembled and is undergoing some corrective work, as well as a series of simulations and tests to ensure the success of the mission and India's inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1, will feature an exceptional solar observation capability, with instruments already delivered and currently being integrated into the satellite by ISRO.

Great care has been taken to ensure that the instruments used in Chandrayaan-3 are properly qualified for the mission. With luck, Chandrayaan-3 will be successful in achieving its primary objective of landing and enabling the rover to conduct exploration activities on the surface of the moon, which will undoubtedly prove fascinating, particularly during the lunar day.

As per ISRO,  Chandrayaan-3 serves as a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, aiming to demonstrate complete end-to-end capabilities for safe landing and rover operations on the lunar surface. The mission comprises both a lander and rover configuration.

What makes Chandrayaan-3 different from Chandrayaan-2?

In reference to the Chandrayaan-3 mission, it will follow a comparable structure to that of Chandrayaan-2, featuring an orbiter, lander, and rover. However, the orbiter will have a smaller payload than its predecessor, lacking many of the payloads from Chandrayaan-2. The primary goal of the mission is to successfully deliver the lander to the moon's orbit and facilitate a safe landing.

What is the mission of Aditya L1?

In reference to Aditya L1, it has been noted that the mission will travel to the Lagrangian Point L1, providing an optimal location to observe the Sun continuously and without interference for an extended duration. The preparations are in extensive productivity as the instruments to be used are undergoing a testing process. India's inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1, will feature a distinctive solar observation capability. Instruments for this mission have already been supplied, and ISRO is presently in the process of integrating them into the satellite.

ISRO to collaborate with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency?

A mission to the moon in the future is anticipated and expected by ISRO with Japan. According to the reports, there are ongoing discussions with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) regarding a potential joint lunar mission. JAXA would construct the land rover and launch it using a Japanese rocket.