As billions of Indians wait with bated breath for Chandrayaan-3's lander module to land on the lunar surface, National Geographic India is all set to capture the nation's attention with its live simulcast on Wednesday. The live simulcast of Chandrayaan-3 — #countdowntohistory — will be available across National Geographic Channel and Disney+ Hotstar. The descent of the lander (Vikram), which carries a rover (Pragyan) in its belly, is expected to begin around 5:45 PM.
The show will be hosted by Gaurav Kapoor and leading space experts and will take viewers on a journey through time and space.
The live show will provide exclusive insights from personalities such as astronauts Sunita Williams and Rakesh Sharma. ISRO chairman S Somanath will speak about the mission's significance for India and the future of space exploration.
Srijan Pal Singh, CEO and Co-Founder of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre, Chris Hadfield, former commander of the International Space Station, and Ann Druyan, creative director of NASA's Voyager Interstellar Message and Emmy-winning writer, will also join the show and and shed light on the journey to the moon.
The show will decode the basics of the rocket science and tech behind the Chandrayaan-3 mission with the help of futuristic AR VR graphics and interesting facts and trivia.
It will also feature informative short films on Vikram Sarabhai and his discovery of Thumba, Satish Dhawan as a visionary leader of ISRO, and an inspiring AV on Dr Kalam.
"In the last 40 years, despite limited resources, ISRO has had a spectacular journey. The programs we have conducted over the years have surprised the world. Space explorations do have their ups and downs, but we've remained focused in our approach, and knowing the way ISRO functions I can proudly say that Chandrayaan 3 will have a safe landing," said Rakesh Sharma, first Indian in space.
"With futuristic 3D graphics, uncharted access to the voices of experts from India and abroad, and short informative films, we want to unite Indians across the globe and take them on a memorable journey to #countdowntohistory together," said Gaurav Banerjee, Head Content, Disney+ Hotstar & HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star.
In India, the Chandrayaan-3 touchdown will be telecast live on August 23, 2023, at 4 PM on National Geographic Channel and Disney+ Hotstar.
National Geographic has also released a special anthem to wish Chandrayaan 3 a successful soft landing and salute the scientists at ISRO.