The viewer’s gallery of the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India was filled with anticipation and excitement at 4:05 a.m. ET on Friday morning, July 14. The engines of a 14-story rocket roared to life on a distant launchpad, as Chandrayaan-3, India’s third spacecraft bound for the moon, embarked on its groundbreaking journey. Within 15 minutes, the combination orbiter, lander, and rover of Chandrayaan-3 were on their way, propelled by the relentless dedication and ingenuity of India’s scientists.
Indian President Narendra Modi tweeted, “Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!”
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) may not quite rival the likes of NASA, Russia’s Roscosmos, or the China National Space Administration, but it is forging ahead. Since its establishment in 1969, ISRO has launched an impressive 124 spacecraft of its own, including three to the moon and one to Mars. Additionally, ISRO has facilitated the launch of 15 satellites developed by Indian students and 424 satellites from other countries.
However, it is the missions to the moon and Mars that have garnered the most pride and international recognition for India. The Mars Orbiter Mission, affectionately known as MOM, launched on November 5, 2013, and became the first successful mission to reach Mars on its first attempt. Remarkably, the mission cost a mere $75 million, less than the production budget of the movie Gravity, released in the same year. MOM provided eight years of invaluable observations of the Martian surface, finally concluding in 2022.
In 2008, Chandrayaan-1 marked India’s inaugural attempt to send a spacecraft to another world. Though a modest mission in comparison to other lunar orbiters, Chandrayaan-1 achieved a significant scientific breakthrough. It became the first spacecraft to detect traces of water ice in the lunar regolith, or soil. Moreover, Chandrayaan-1’s impact probe crashed deliberately into the lunar south pole, confirming the existence of water ice in the region. This discovery has had a profound influence on the plans of the U.S. and Chinese space programs for future moon exploration.
Chandrayaan-2, launched in July 2019, had the aim of becoming the first spacecraft to land on the moon’s south pole. Although it successfully reached lunar orbit and continues to operate there, its lander and rover unfortunately crashed during descent due to a software glitch in the braking system.
Chandrayaan-3 is a remarkable second attempt for India, rectifying the software bug that caused the previous mission’s mishap. The orbiter, accurately weighing 2,148 kg (4,735 lbs.), carries no lunar observation hardware but instead focuses on deep space exploration, searching for potentially habitable exoplanets. On the other hand, the 1,752 kg (3,862 lb.) lander is equipped with instruments to measure seismic activity, temperature fluctuations, and plasma fields at the lunar south pole. The lander also houses a 26 kg (57 lb.) rover with laser spectrometry and x-ray spectrometry capabilities to study the chemical composition of the moon’s regolith.
Despite their limited lifespan of only 14 Earth days, the lander and rover will contribute invaluable data before succumbing to the harsh conditions of the lunar night, leaving behind a lasting legacy for ISRO and India’s ambitious aspirations.
India’s space program continues to push boundaries, solidifying its place among the world’s leading spacefaring nations. As Chandrayaan-3 embarks on its journey, India’s scientists have once again demonstrated their determination, innovation, and unwavering pursuit of scientific discovery.
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