Ritu Karidhal the Rocket Woman Leading India’s Chandrayaan-3 is a rocket scientist and the Mission Director of Chandrayaan-3, the third lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). She is also the Deputy Operations Director of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also known as Mangalyaan.
Karidhal was born in Lucknow, India, and graduated from the University of Lucknow with a degree in physics. She then went on to earn a Master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Karidhal joined ISRO in 2007 and has worked on several of the organization’s missions, including Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, and MOM. She is a specialist in spacecraft navigation and guidance, and has played a key role in the development and implementation of ISRO’s navigation and control systems.
The Rocket Woman Leading India’s Chandrayaan-3
Karidhal is a recipient of the ISRO Young Scientist Award and the Indian National Academy of Engineering Young Scientist Award. She is also a Fellow of the Indian Space Research Organisation.
In 2023, Karidhal will be responsible for landing Chandrayaan-3 on the moon. This will be a challenging mission, as the moon’s south pole is a very difficult place to land. However, Karidhal and her team are confident that they will be successful.
Karidhal is an inspiration to women and girls everywhere. She is a role model for young women who aspire to careers in science and engineering. She is also a testament to the fact that women can achieve great things in the field of space exploration.