ISRO’s spacecraft is headed to the moon’s south pole and is expected to aligning perfectly to make a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23. hopefully make the another history
The historic landing of India’s Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s surface is scheduled for August 23. The excitement back on Earth is palpable, with India looking like it could clinch the title of the first nation to touch down on the moon’s south pole.
Chandrayaan-3, has been sashaying through the cosmos since its epic launch from Sriharikota, it’s been smooth sailing — no hiccups, no glitches.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has been chanting “all systems go,” and if they pull this off, it’s going to be a historic touchdown that’ll put India in the cosmic hall of fame.
LUNAR PRECISION
Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander is on track to execute a touchdown on the surface of Moon at 4:34 PM, UAE time, August 23
Lunar paparazzi and anticipation
Picture this: ISRO’s craft capturing the moon’s craters with a hazard detection and avoidance camera, like a lunar paparazzi looking for the perfect landing spot. If all goes well, this could be an unprecedented win for India’s science, engineering, technology, and industry.
Touching down at the moon’s south pole is no moonwalk. It’s like landing a skateboard on a cosmic rollercoaster!
A few years ago, India’s rover missed the mark due to a software slip-up. But this time, ISRO has revamped Chandrayaan-3 with more fuel, sturdier legs, and a determined spirit. If successful, India would be making history as the fourth nation to pull off a lunar soft landing and the very first to conquer the moon’s south pole.
‘SEVEN MINUTES OF PURE TERROR’
In a cosmic choreography of gravity, orbits, and the ultimate touchdown, the spacecraft embarks on a daring escapade. This heart-pounding interstellar ballet, often dubbed ‘seven minutes of terror,’ encapsulates seven minutes of pure adrenalin. During this electrifying phase, the spacecraft takes the cosmic stage alone, with zero help from engineers and scientists as they anxiously — like billions around the world — await the cosmic crescendo.
Chandrayaan-3’s daring descent
On Aug. 23, Chandrayaan-3 is taking a plunge and it is expected to be a nail-biter as it twists and turns, aligning perfectly for a touchdown that could make history.
Vikram Lander, part of Chandrayaan-3, is doing a cosmic tango with the moon. Imagine it as a sleek spaceship elegantly waltzing through the stars.
Cameras flashing, sensors buzzing, and a cosmic computer making split-second decisions — this is a cosmic drama unfolding in 73 seconds. Will Vikram Lander’s descent end with a smooth touchdown? It’s cosmic drama at its best!
Leaving footprints on the Moon
India’s Pragyan rover is ready to make its mark with ISRO’s logo and India’s emblem etched on the moon’s surface. Throughout this intricate sequence, Vikram and Pragyan will photograph each other amid the lunar backdrop.
These mesmerizing images will embark on a journey back to our planet via an exclusive communication conduit, utilising cutting-edge ISRO Deep Space Network Antennas.
Following the confirmation of Vikram and Pragyan’s secure status, ISRO will shift gears into a phase of comprehensive experimentation.
This scientific endeavor will delve into the Moon’s soil and plasma environment that envelops it, unlocking secrets that have lingered for ages.
India’s Chandrayaan-3 shares latest pics show Moon 70 km away from surface
New Delhi: Ahead of the much-awaited Chandrayaan-3 soft landing, Isro has released some more pictures of the moon captured by the camera attached to the Vikram lander module.
In its latest update on Chandrayaan-3 soft landing, Isro meanwhile said the mission is on schedule and systems are undergoing regular checks.
“Smooth sailing is continuing, The Mission Operations Complex (at Isro) is buzzed with energy and excitement!” ISRO posted on X, formerly Twitter.
After Russia’s Luna-25 mission failed, all eyes will be on India as its Chandrayaan-3 is set to land on the moon on August 23, 2023 (Wednesday), around 18:04 IST.
The live telecast of the landing operations will begin at 5:20 PM IST on Wednesday. Live actions of landing will be available on the Isro website, its YouTube channel, Facebook, and public broadcaster DD National TV from 5:27 PM IST on Aug 23, 2023.
Along with the mission’s update, Isro also released images of the moon captured by the Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC) from an altitude of about 70 km.
These images assist the lander module in determining its position (latitude and longitude) by matching them against an onboard moon reference map.
On Monday, ISRO released a series of images of the lunar far side area captured by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC). This camera assists in locating a safe landing area — without boulders or deep trenches — during the descent. Also, in a significant development, the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter which was still orbiting around the moon established a two-way connection with the lander module of Chandrayaan-3 on Monday.
Notably, the ‘Vikram’ lander module of the spacecraft successfully separated from the propulsion module on Thursday, and subsequently underwent crucial deboosting manoeuvres and descended to a slightly lower orbit. The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lander is named after Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971), who is widely regarded as the father of the Indian space programme.
A GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle was used for the launch of the spacecraft that was placed in the lunar orbit on August 5 and since then it has been through a series of orbital manoeuvres been lowered closer to the moon’s surface.
It has been a month and eight days since the Indian Space Research Organisation launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission on July 14. The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota.
The stated objectives of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, are safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, rover moving on the moon’s surface, and in-situ scientific experiments.
India will be the fourth country in the world to achieve this feat after the United States, Russia, and China, but India will be the only country in the world to land on the lunar south pole.
Courtesy by Khaleej Times, Gulf News NDTV, India Today & ISRO Media
