India Launches Chandrayaan-3 Mission, Aiming to Return to the Moon
India is embarking on a new lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, after its first attempt three years ago ended in a crash. The launch took place on Friday afternoon from Sriharikota, a launch site off India’s East Coast. This mission comes at a time of renewed interest in lunar exploration, with countries like the United States and China planning to send astronauts to the moon in the near future, and several robotic missions from Russia, Japan, and the United States also in the pipeline.
If Chandrayaan-3’s robotic lander and rover successfully land on the moon, it will be a significant achievement for India. Currently, only China has achieved a successful moon landing this century. This mission holds great importance for India’s national pride and its homegrown space program. Additionally, India is witnessing the emergence of commercial space start-ups.
Last month, India reached an agreement with the United States to send a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2022. India’s equivalent of NASA, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), is also developing its own spacecraft to send astronauts into orbit.
The rocket for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, called Launch Vehicle Mark III, lifted off at 2:35 p.m. local time on Friday. As the rocket soared into the sky, crowds waved Indian flags and colorful umbrellas in excitement. Sixteen minutes later, the spacecraft separated from the rocket’s upper stage, triggering cheers and applause in the mission control center.
Over the next few weeks, the spacecraft will undergo a series of engine firings to elongate its orbit before heading towards the moon. The landing attempt is scheduled for August 23 or 24, coinciding with sunrise at the moon’s south polar region. Landing on the moon is a challenging task, as many previous attempts have failed.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to collect thermal, seismic, and mineralogical data from the moon’s surface using a range of instruments. The mission is set to conclude two weeks after the landing, when the sun sets on the solar-powered lander and rover. If any issues arise while the spacecraft is in orbit around the moon, the landing could be delayed until September when the next sunrise occurs.
India’s interest in space exploration extends beyond scientific goals, as it seeks to establish national pride. When the country’s spacecraft Mangalyaan entered Mars orbit in 2014, schools across India adjusted their schedules so children could watch the event on television. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been an advocate for India’s space program and hailed the Mars mission as a symbol of the nation’s capabilities.
In addition to the Chandrayaan-3 mission, ISRO has plans for other space missions. The agency is developing a spacecraft called Gaganyaan to send astronauts into orbit, but its timeline has been delayed and is now expected no earlier than 2025. India is also collaborating with the United States on various space missions, including training Indian astronauts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and signing the Artemis Accords to set guidelines for civil space exploration.
India faces competition in the race to the moon, with Russia and Japan set to launch missions in August, and several NASA-funded missions scheduled for the near future. Despite the challenges, India remains determined to pursue its space exploration ambitions, aiming to further advance its technological capabilities and contribute to scientific discoveries.