NEW DELHI: India is waiting with bated breath as its space agency ISROโs ambitious Chandrayaan-3 lander module gears up to make history by soft-landing on the lunar surface at 6.04 pm on Wednesday.
Vikram, the lander, along with the rover Pragyan, is poised to touch down near the Moonโs south pole, marking India as the fourth country to achieve this remarkable feat.
Mixed feelings of excitement and uneasiness prevail in the ISROโs Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru as engineers and scientists check and cross-verify crucial data and the status of different parts of the lander module.
Uneasiness stems from the fact that except for one, all lunar touch-down missions between 2019 and 2023 have failed โ Russiaโs Luna 25 being the latest case.
Once Vikram lands safely, rover Pragyan will come out of its belly and embark on a 14 Earth days exploration mission, venturing into groundbreaking experiments utilizing its cutting-edge payloads RAMBHA and ILSA. These experiments are meticulously designed to unravel mysteries surrounding the moonโs atmosphere and mineral composition.
Vikram is also equipped with the innovative Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) and the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), which will meticulously analyze the chemical constituents of the lunar terrain, including its surface, rocks, and soil.
Chandrayaan-3โs journey in a glance:
July 14: Mission launch
July 15-25: Earthโs orbit maneuvering
August 1-5: Lunar orbit insertion and separation from propulsion module
August 6-16: Lunar orbit lowering maneuvers
August 17: Lander separation from propulsion module
August 23: Powered descent initiation at 5:45 pm, followed by the historic touchdown at 6:04 pm
The final and most critical phase of powered descent has been described as โfifteen minutes of terrorโ by former ISRO chairman K Sivan.
Vikram will take approximately 19 minutes to make the touch down from an altitude of 25 km in the power-descent, which commences at 5:45 pm. When it reaches a height of 150 meter, its specially-designed cameras will check for trenches or hilly areas.
In preparation for the momentous landing, ISRO has announced a live telecast of the process commencing at 5:20 pm on Wednesday. The ISRO has confirmed that the mission remains on track, with regular system checks and procedures. The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) is buzzing with enthusiasm and energy, ensuring all systems are ready for the crucial descent.
The journey leading to this landmark event has seen Chandrayaan-3โs lander module meticulously search for the optimal landing site following a series of orbiting and deboosting maneuvers around the Moon. An engaging development was a two-way communication link established between Chandrayaan-3โs Lander Module and Chandrayaan-2โs Orbiter on Monday. This liaison broadens the pathways for communication, showcasing the advanced capabilities of ISROโs technology.
The landing attempt comes in wake of Luna-25 craft melting down after encountering trouble during its pre-landing orbit maneuver.
ISRO scientists have announced that they will postpone the landing for August 27 if conditions are not favourable for the landing.
