Chandrayaan-3 Scheduled for July launch

India’s endeavor, Chandrayaan-3, aimed at successfully landing on the Moon’s surface, is scheduled to be launched between July 12 and 19, provided that all tests proceed without issues, according to S Somanath, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), reports said.

Somanath made these remarks during a press conference held after inaugurating a one-day workshop and space exhibition at Kothavara St Xavier’s College, which was organized by ISRO. He further mentioned that the Chandrayaan spacecraft has already been transported to the launch pad located at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is the third lunar exploration mission planned by ISRO.

It serves as a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission and aims to showcase the complete capability of safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.

The need for Chandrayaan-3 arose after the unsuccessful landing of the Vikram lander during Chandrayaan-2.

This new mission is designed to demonstrate the essential landing skills required for the proposed lunar polar exploration mission in 2024, which India intends to carry out in collaboration with Japan.

Chandrayaan-3 comprises a Lander and Rover configuration and will be launched by the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota.

The propulsion module will transport the Lander and Rover configuration to a lunar orbit of approximately 100 km, as per a report.

The propulsion module is equipped with the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload, which is designed to conduct spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit. This payload will provide valuable data and insights into the Earth’s characteristics and habitability from a unique vantage point on the Moon.

Chandrayaan-3 will consist of a rover and lander, without an orbiter like Chandrayaan-2.The mission aims to explore the Moon’s surface, particularly areas that have been deprived of sunlight for billions of years.

Scientists and astronomers suspect the presence of ice and valuable mineral resources in these dark regions. The exploration will not be limited to the surface but will also focus on studying the sub-surface and exosphere, as per reports.