posted 07-06-2023 12:36 PM               

Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. It consists of lander and rover configuration. It will be launched by LVM3 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit. The propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.

Lander payloads: Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature; Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for measuring the seismicity around the landing site; Langmuir Probe (LP) to estimate the plasma density and its variations. A passive Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA is accommodated for lunar laser ranging studies.

Rover payloads: Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of landing site.

Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous lander module (LM), propulsion module (PM) and a rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for interplanetary missions. The lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility. The lander and the rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface.

The main function of PM is to carry the LM from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from PM. Apart from this, the propulsion module also has one scientific payload as a value addition which will be operated post separation of lander module.

The launcher identified for Chandrayaan-3 is GSLV-Mk3 which will place the integrated module in an Elliptic Parking Orbit (EPO) of size ~170 x 36500 km.

The mission objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are:

1. To demonstrate Safe and Soft Landing on Lunar Surface
   
2. To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon and
   
3. To conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

To achieve the mission objectives, several advanced technologies are present in Lander such as,

1. Altimeters: Laser & RF based Altimeters
   
2. Velocimeters: Laser Doppler Velocimeter & Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera
   
3. Inertial Measurement: Laser Gyro based Inertial referencing and Accelerometer package
   
4. Propulsion System: 800N Throttleable Liquid Engines, 58N attitude thrusters & Throttleable Engine Control Electronics
   
5. Navigation, Guidance & Control (NGC): Powered Descent Trajectory design and associate software elements
   
6. Hazard Detection and Avoidance: Lander Hazard Detection & Avoidance Camera and Processing Algorithm
   
7. Landing Leg Mechanism.

To demonstrate the above said advanced technologies in earth condition, several Lander special tests have been planned and carried out successfully viz.

1. Integrated Cold Test - For the demonstration of Integrated Sensors & Navigation performance test using helicopter as test platform
   
2. Integrated Hot test – For the demonstration of closed loop performance test with sensors, actuators and NGC using Tower crane as test platform
   
3. Lander Leg mechanism performance test on a lunar simulant test bed simulating different touch down conditions.

posted 07-14-2023 05:00 AM               

India successfully launches Chandrayaan-3 marking another significant milestone in space exploration.

Heartiest congratulations to the ISRO team and everyone who worked relentlessly to accomplish the feat!

It demonstrates the nation's unwavering commitment to advancement in space science and technology. My best wishes for the success of the lunar mission.

posted 07-15-2023 11:57 AM               

The spacecraft's health is normal.

The first orbit-raising maneuver (Earthbound firing-1) is successfully performed at ISTRAC, Bengaluru.

Spacecraft is now in 41762 km x 173 km orbit.

posted 07-31-2023 02:21 PM               

Chandrayaan-3 completes its orbits around the Earth and heads towards the Moon.

A successful perigee-firing performed at ISTRAC, ISRO has injected the spacecraft into the translunar orbit.

Next stop: the Moon.

As it arrives at the moon, the Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) is planned for Aug 5, 2023.

posted 08-05-2023 02:46 PM               

"MOX, ISTRAC, this is Chandrayaan-3. I am feeling lunar gravity."

Chandrayaan-3 has been successfully inserted into the lunar orbit.

A retro-burning at the Perilune was commanded from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC, Bengaluru.

The next operation - reduction of orbit – is scheduled for Aug 6, 2023, around 23:00 Hrs. IST.

posted 08-05-2023 02:48 PM               

Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Update

Today, the Chandrayaan-3 mission achieved a crucial milestone with the successful completion of the Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOl). The insertion was carried out by retro-burning at the Perilune for 1835 seconds, starting at 19:12 Hrs. IST. The maneuver resulted in an orbit of 164 km x 18074 km, as intended.

This is the third time in succession that ISO has successfully inserted its spacecraft into the lunar orbit, apart from doing so once into the Martian orbit.

As the mission progresses, a series of maneuvers have been planned to gradually reduce Chandrayaan-3's orbit and position it over the lunar poles. After some manevres, the propulsion module will separate from the lander while in orbit. Following that, a series of complex braking maneuvers will be executed to facilitate a soft landing in the South Polar region of the Moon on August 23, 2023.

The health of Chandrayaan-3 is normal. Throughout the mission, the health of the spacecraft is being continuously monitored from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC), the Indian Deep Space Network (IDS) antenna at Byalalu, near Bengaluru, with the support from ESA and JPL Deep space antenna.

The next Lunar bound orbit maneuver is scheduled for August 6, 2023, between 22:30 and 23:30 Hrs. IST.

posted 08-06-2023 05:22 PM               

The moon, as viewed by the Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 during lunar orbit insertion on Aug. 5, 2023.

posted 08-16-2023 05:59 PM               

Today's successful firing, needed for a short duration, has put Chandrayaan-3 into an orbit of 153 km x 163 km, as intended.

With this, the lunar bound maneuvres are completed.

It's time for preparations as the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module gear up for their separate journeys.

Separation of the Lander Module from the Propulsion Module is planned for August 17, 2023.

posted 08-17-2023 09:19 AM               

"Thanks for the ride, mate!" said the Lander Module (LM).

LM is successfully separated from the Propulsion Module (PM).

LM is set to descend to a slightly lower orbit upon a deboosting planned for tomorrow around 1600 Hrs., IST.

posted 08-18-2023 06:28 PM               

The Lander Module (LM) health is normal.

LM successfully underwent a deboosting operation that reduced its orbit to 113 km x 157 km.

The second deboosting operation is scheduled for August 20, 2023, around 0200 Hrs. IST.

posted 08-19-2023 03:55 PM               

The second de-orbiting maneuver for Lander Module of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was performed successfully today (August 20, 2023).

Now the orbit of Lander Module is 25 km x 134 km. The health of the Lander Module (LM) is normal.

With this maneuver the required orbit for the Lander Module to commence it descent towards the surface of the Moon is achieved. The Lander Module is expected to touch down on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023 between 1730-1830 hrs IST.

posted 08-21-2023 09:38 AM               

Here are the images of the lunar far side area captured by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC).

This camera that assists in locating a safe landing area — without boulders or deep trenches — during the descent is developed by ISRO at SAC [Space Applications Centre].

posted 08-23-2023 06:45 AM               

All set to initiate the Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS). Awaiting the arrival of Lander Module (LM) at the designated point, around 17:44 Hrs. IST [8:14 a.m. EDT].

Upon receiving the ALS command, the LM activates the throttleable engines for powered descent. The mission operations team will keep confirming the sequential execution of commands.

posted 08-23-2023 07:54 AM               

India on the moon! Chandrayaan-3 lander touches down in lunar south pole region

India has become the fourth country in history to successfully land a robotic spacecraft on the moon.

The country's Vikram lander, part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, touched down near the lunar south pole on Wednesday (Aug. 23) at 8:34 a.m. EDT (1234 GMT; 6:04 p.m. Indian Standard Time, or IST). India has now joined Russia, the United States and China as the only nations to have reached the moon's surface.

posted 08-24-2023 11:41 AM               

The Ch-3 rover ramped down from the lander and India took a walk on the moon!

Lander module payloads ILSA, RAMBHA and ChaSTE are turned on today.

Rover mobility operations have commenced.

SHAPE payload on the propulsion module was turned on on Sunday.

posted 08-25-2023 09:48 AM               

All planned Rover movements have been verified. The Rover has successfully traversed a distance of about 8 meters.

Rover payloads LIBS and APXS are turned ON.

All payloads on the propulsion module, lander module, and rover are performing nominally.

posted 08-28-2023 11:56 AM               

On August 27, 2023, the Rover came across a 4-meter diameter crater positioned 3 meters ahead of its location.

The Rover was commanded to retrace the path.

It's now safely heading on a new path.

posted 09-04-2023 11:18 AM               

Vikram soft-landed on the moon, again!

Vikram Lander exceeded its mission objectives. It successfully underwent a hop experiment.

On command, it fired the engines, elevated itself by about 40 cm as expected and landed safely at a distance of 30 to 40 cm away.

Importance? This 'kick-start' enthuses future sample return and human missions!

All systems performed nominally and are healthy. Deployed Ramp, ChaSTE and ILSA were folded back and redeployed successfully after the experiment.

Vikram Lander is set into sleep mode around 08:00 Hrs. IST today.

Prior to that, in-situ experiments by ChaSTE, RAMBHA-LP and ILSA payloads are performed at the new location. The data collected is received at the Earth.

Payloads are now switched off. Lander receivers are kept ON.

Vikram will fall asleep next to Pragyan once the solar power is depleted and the battery is drained. Hoping for their awakening, around Sept. 22, 2023.

Here are the images before and after the hop.