The Chandrayaan Mission on the Moon, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), involves sending robotic spacecraft with the goal of exploring the moon. Chandrayaan-1's first mission was in 2008 when it smoothly circled the Moon for two years. Chandrayaan-2's 2019 mission aimed to put a rover on the Moon, but the lander unfortunately crashed. In 2023, Chandrayaan-3 reached a big milestone by gently landing on the Moon on August 23.
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Brief overview of all three Chandrayaan Mission on the Moon:
Chandrayaan-1:This mission was launched on October 22, 2008, and orbited the Moon for two years. It carried 11 scientific instruments, including a lunar orbiter, an impactor, and a terrain mapping radar. The mission successfully mapped the Moon's surface and discovered evidence of water ice in the polar regions.
Chandrayaan-2:
This mission was launched on July 22, 2019, and was intended to land a rover on the Moon. The lander named Vikram and the rover called Pragyan were detached successfully from the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter. However, the lander crashed while trying to land on the Moon during its final descent.
Chandrayaan-3:
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, this mission achieved a successful soft landing on the Moon on August 23, 2023. Currently, the lunar surface is being explored by the lander named Vikram and the rover named Pragyan.
Cost:
The Chandrayaan Mission on the Moon is a big step for India's space program. It shows that India is now the fourth country to land a spacecraft safely on the Moon. Moreover, this mission is anticipated to offer a valuable understanding of the Moon's origin and development.
Here is a summary of the Chandrayaan Mission on Moon program history and cost:
Cost: The total cost of the Chandrayaan Mission on the Moon is estimated to be ₹1,364 crore (US$170 million). The cost of Chandrayaan-3 was ₹600 crore (US$85 million) in 2023.
Duration:
The Chandrayaan Mission has been ongoing since 2008. The initial mission, Chandrayaan-1, lasted for a span of two years. The second mission, Chandrayaan-2, lasted for only a few weeks due to the crash. The third mission, Chandrayaan-3, is ongoing.
First flight:
The inaugural mission of the Chandrayaan Mission was Chandrayaan-1, launched on October 22, 2008.
Last flight:
The last mission in the Chandrayaan Mission was Chandrayaan-3, which was launched on July 14, 2023.
All three missions in the Chandrayaan Mission were launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India.
Vehicle information:
The launch vehicle for all three missions in the Chandrayaan Mission was the PSLV-XL.
Here is how Chandrayaan-3 reached the Moon:
For the Chandrayaan Mission on the Moon, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was launched on July 14, 2023, from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. It successfully entered orbit around the Earth on July 15, 2023. Later on, the spacecraft made some well-planned moves to go higher up in its path around Earth. It was getting prepared for its trip to the Moon.
On August 1, 2023, the spacecraft performed a translunar injection maneuver, which put it on a course to the Moon. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on August 5, 2023. On August 20, 2023, the lander module was separated from the orbiter module. The lander module then began its descent to the lunar surface.
The lander module successfully soft-landed on the Moon on August 23, 2023. The landing site was the South Pole region of the Moon. The lander part has many tools for science. These tools will help scientists learn about the Moon's surface and its air.
The rover, Pragyan, was also released from the lander module. The rover is crafted for a lunar surface exploration lasting up to 14 days. It's equipped with a diverse range of scientific tools aimed at investigating lunar geology and mineral composition.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a significant achievement in studying the moon's surface and mineral composition. It is the first Indian mission to soft-land on the Moon's South Pole region. The mission is anticipated to offer significant insights into the formation and evolution of the Moon.
In conclusion
The Chandrayaan Mission on the Moon stands as a remarkable feat for India's space endeavors, establishing the nation as a prominent contributor to lunar exploration. This mission's anticipated insights into the Moon's history and transformation further amplify its significance. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared August 23 as National Space Day to honor Chandrayaan-3's remarkable moon landing accomplishment.
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