On Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that the encapsulated assembly containing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has been joined with LVM3, their new heavy lift launch vehicle, at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Chandrayaan-3 serves as a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission and aims to showcase the complete capability of safe landing and exploration on the lunar surface. ISRO, headquartered in Bengaluru, tweeted about the successful mating of the Chandrayaan-3 assembly with LVM3 at the launch center. The mission is scheduled to be launched between July 13 and July 19, with ISRO officials expressing their intention to launch it on July 13 if possible.
The objectives of the Chandrayaan-3 mission include studying the thermophysical properties of the lunar regolith, lunar seismic activity, the lunar surface plasma environment, and the elemental composition near the landing site. The scientific instruments onboard the lander and rover align with the mission’s focus on “Science of the Moon.” Additionally, an experimental instrument will observe the spectro-polarimetric signatures of Earth from the lunar orbit, contributing to the theme of “Science from the Moon,” as explained by ISRO officials.
Earlier this year, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully underwent essential tests to validate its ability to withstand the intense vibration and acoustic conditions during launch. These tests were especially challenging due to the composite nature of the spacecraft, consisting of three modules: propulsion, lander, and rover. The propulsion module, carrying the lander and rover configuration, will accompany them until reaching a lunar orbit of 100 km. The lander payloads include the “Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment” for temperature and thermal conductivity measurements, the “Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity” to assess seismicity near the landing site, and the “Langmuir Probe” to estimate plasma density and variations. The spacecraft also incorporates a passive Laser Retroreflector Array provided by NASA for lunar laser ranging studies. The rover payloads consist of an “Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer” and “Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy” to analyze the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.
The lander module possesses the capability to achieve a soft landing at a designated lunar site and deploy the rover, enabling in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during its mobility. The primary function of the propulsion module is to transport the lander module from the launch vehicle injection to the final lunar orbit of 100 km and then separate. Additionally, the propulsion module carries a scientific payload for post-separation operation.
Overall, ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission represents an important step in India’s lunar exploration efforts, aiming to enhance our understanding of the Moon through comprehensive scientific investigations and technological advancements.