Chandrayaan-3: Everything You Need to Know About India’s Latest Lunar Exploration Mission.

Chandrayaan-3: India’s Third Moon Mission Set to Land Near Lunar South Pole:

Chandrayaan-3 is the third and most recent lunar exploration mission under the Chandrayaan program by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan similar to Chandrayaan-2, but does not have an orbiter. Its propulsion module behaves like a communication relay satellite.

The launch of Chandrayaan-3 took place on 14 July 2023, at 2:35 pm IST, and lunar injection of 100 km circular polar orbit was completed successfully as part of phase one The lander and rover are expected to land near the lunar south pole region on 23 August 2023.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a stepping stone towards ISRO’s future interplanetary missions. The key idea is a technology demonstration of the crucial capability to soft-land on lunar surface safely that the earlier mission could not achieve.

The mission has several scientific objectives, such as studying the lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, lunar exosphere, and signatures of hydroxyl and water ice. The lander and rover carry various instruments to perform these tasks, such as cameras, spectrometers, seismometers, laser reflectors, and more.

The mission also has a rival, as Russia plans its first lunar lander in decades, called Luna-25. The Russian spacecraft is expected to launch in October 2023 and land near the lunar south pole as well.

India vs Russia: Who Will Win the Race to the Moon’s South Pole?

India and Russia are both aiming to be the first to land a rover on the Moon’s south pole, a region that holds great scientific and strategic value. The south pole is believed to have deposits of water ice that could be used for future human exploration and colonization. It also offers a unique vantage point for observing the Earth and other celestial bodies.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched on 14 July 2023 and is expected to make a soft landing around 23 August 2023. The mission consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, similar to Chandrayaan-2, but without an orbiter. The mission aims to demonstrate the technology for landing on the lunar surface, as well as conduct various scientific experiments, such as studying the lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, exosphere and signs of water ice.

Russia’s Luna-25 mission is scheduled to launch on 11 August 2023, and will take five days to reach the Moon. It will then spend 5-7 days in lunar orbit before descending on one of three possible landing sites near the pole. The mission consists of a lander only, with a mass of 1.8 tons and carrying 31 kg of scientific equipment. The mission will use a scoop to take rock samples from a depth of up to 15 cm to test for the presence of frozen water. It will also measure the plasma in the exosphere, the infrared spectrometry of minerals, the dust and micro-meteorites, the thermal properties of regolith and the panoramic and local imaging. The mission will work on the Moon for a year.

The race between India and Russia is not only about scientific discovery, but also about national pride and prestige. Both countries have a long history of space exploration, and have faced challenges and setbacks in their lunar ambitions. India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission failed to land on the Moon in 2019 due to a communication loss with the lander. Russia’s last lunar mission was Luna-24 in 1976, which returned soil samples from the Moon. Since then, Russia has faced political and economic turmoil that hampered its space program.

Both missions are also facing competition from other countries that have plans to explore the Moon’s south pole, such as China, Japan, Europe, and the United States. China has already landed two rovers on the far side of the Moon and plans to send another one to the south pole in 2024. Japan has proposed a joint mission with India to send an orbiter and a lander to the south pole in 2024. Europe has expressed interest in collaborating with Russia on future lunar missions. The United States has announced its goal of sending humans back to the Moon by 2024, with a focus on the south pole region.

The race to the Moon’s south pole is not only a scientific endeavor but also a geopolitical contest. The outcome of this race could have implications for the future of space exploration and cooperation, as well as for the balance of power on Earth. Who will win this race? Only time will tell.

How do India and Russia compare in space technology?

India and Russia have a long history of cooperation in space technology, dating back to the 1970s when the Soviet Union helped India launch its first satellites and send its first astronaut into space. However, in recent years, the two countries have diverged in their space ambitions and capabilities, with India emerging as a major space power and Russia facing challenges in maintaining its space leadership. Here are some points of comparison between India and Russia in space technology:

·          Launch vehicles: India has developed a range of launch vehicles, from the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) that can launch small satellites into low Earth orbit, to the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) that can launch heavier satellites into geostationary orbit, to the GSLV Mark III that can launch human-rated spacecraft and interplanetary missions. India has also mastered cryogenic engine technology that enables high thrust and efficiency for the upper stages of rockets. Russia has a fleet of reliable and proven launch vehicles, such as the Soyuz, Proton, and Angara, that can launch various payloads into different orbits. Russia also has the world’s only operational reusable launch system, the Buran, which is similar to the U.S. Space Shuttle. However, Russia’s launch industry has faced some setbacks in recent years due to technical failures, corruption scandals, and competition from other countries.

Satellites: India has launched over 130 satellites for various purposes, such as communication, navigation, remote sensing, meteorology, astronomy, and defence. India has also built its own regional navigation satellite system, called NavIC, which provides accurate positioning services over India and its neighborhood. India has also demonstrated its anti-satellite capability by shooting down one of its own satellites in 2019, becoming the fourth country to do so after the U.S., Russia, and China. Russia has launched over 3,600 satellites for various purposes, such as communication, navigation, remote sensing, meteorology, astronomy, and defence. Russia has also built its own global navigation satellite system, called GLONASS, which provides worldwide positioning services. Russia has also tested its anti-satellite capability by destroying one of its own satellites in 2021, creating a cloud of debris that endangered other spacecraft in orbit.

 

        Human spaceflight: India is planning to send its first crewed mission to space by 2023, called Gaganyaan, which will carry three astronauts to low Earth orbit for up to seven days. India is also developing a reusable orbital vehicle, called Avatar, which will be capable of launching and landing like an aircraft. India is also exploring the possibility of sending humans to the Moon and Mars in the future. Russia has a rich legacy of human spaceflight, having sent the first human (Yuri Gagarin) and the first woman (Valentina Tereshkova) to space, as well as conducting the first spacewalk (Alexei Leonov) and building the first space station (Salyut). Russia is currently a partner in the International Space Station (ISS), where it provides crew transportation and maintains modules and systems. Russia is also developing a new crewed spacecraft, called Orel, which will replace the Soyuz and enable missions beyond low Earth orbit. Russia is also planning to send humans to the Moon and Mars in the future.

 

       Interplanetary exploration: India has successfully launched two interplanetary missions so far: Chandrayaan-1 to the Moon in 2008 and Mangalyaan to Mars in 2013. Both missions achieved their primary objectives of orbiting and studying their respective planets. India is currently working on Chandrayaan-2, which will attempt to land a rover on the lunar south pole in 2023, as well as Aditya-L1, which will study the Sun from a Lagrangian point in 2022. India is also planning future missions to Venus and asteroids. Russia has launched several interplanetary missions over the decades, such as Luna to the Moon, Venera to Venus, Mars to Mars, Phobos to Phobos, and Zond to circumnavigate the Moon. However, many of these missions failed or partially succeeded due to technical problems or external factors. Russia is currently working on Luna-25, which will attempt to land a probe on the lunar south pole in 2023, as well as Spektr-RG, which will study X-ray sources in the universe from a Lagrangian point in 2022. Russia is also planning future missions to Mercury and Jupiter.

In conclusion, India and Russia have both made significant contributions to space technology and exploration over the years. However, they also face different challenges and opportunities in their current and future endeavors. While India has shown remarkable progress and innovation in its space program, it still needs to catch up with the global leaders in terms of capabilities and experience. While Russia has a wealth of expertise and heritage in its space program, it also needs to overcome the issues of quality and competitiveness that have plagued its recent performance. Both countries can benefit from continued cooperation and collaboration in space, as they have done in the past, as well as from healthy competition and mutual respect.