Tirupati: Since its launch on July 14, Chandrayaan-3, India's ambitious lunar exploration mission, has been surging ahead with significant achievements, positioning itself for a momentous soft landing on the Moon's south pole scheduled for Wednesday around 6:04 pm. The mission till now has demonstrated resilience and technological prowess, adeptly manoeuvring through complex obstacles and setting the stage for a historic event.
Chandrayaan-3's journey has been marked by a series of carefully executed manoeuvres, overcoming key hurdles vital to its success. The journey began with a successful launch on July 14, as the launch vehicle (LVM3 M4) propelled the spacecraft into its designated orbit, initiating the mission's trajectory towards the Moon. The initial launch was a crucial step, setting the tone for the challenges that lay ahead.
One of the mission's pivotal moments had been the Earthbound firing-1, conducted on July 15. This critical operation, executed at ISTRAC / ISRO, Bengaluru, raised the spacecraft's orbit while orbiting at 41762 km x 173 km. This manoeuver played a crucial role in fine-tuning the mission's trajectory, setting the stage for further advancements.
On August 1, Chandrayaan-3 achieved yet another milestone by entering the translunar orbit. With an orbit configuration of 288 km x 369328 km, the spacecraft demonstrated its capability to navigate the complex space environment.
Subsequently, on August 5, Chandrayaan-3 entered the lunar orbit with an intended configuration of 164 km x 18074 km, marking another significant leap towards its goal.
On August 17, the spacecraft achieved a flawless separation as the Lander Module (LM) smoothly detached from the Propulsion Module. This transition further highlighted the spacecraft's ability to adapt and transform its configuration seamlessly in the vacuum of space.
As the mission's final phase approaches, all eyes are on the upcoming critical technical manoeuvre—a transition from high-speed horizontal positioning to a vertical descent. This pivotal movement, set to take place during the final 15 minutes of its soft-landing attempt, is crucial for a smooth and controlled landing onto the lunar surface. These crucial minutes, reminiscent of the "15 minutes of terror" during Chandrayaan-2's attempted landing in 2019, will define the mission's ultimate success or failure.
The global space community's attention has been heightened by Russia's recent Luna 25 crash, underscoring the significance of Chandrayaan-3's impending landing. With all systems operating optimally and Isro's assurance of the absence of anticipated contingencies, excitement is mounting for this historic milestone.
However, the final challenge lies ahead as the Chandrayaan-3 lander module prepares for its decisive manoeuvre. The timing of the landing on August 23 will hinge upon the condition of the LM and lunar conditions.
Nilesh M. Desai, Director of Space Applications Centre-Isro in Ahmedabad, indicated that if conditions are unfavourable, the landing might be postponed to August 27. The decision will be made two hours before the planned landing. The primary aim, however, is a problem-free landing on August 23.
