Chandrayaan-3: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch Chandrayaan-3, a Moon mission, on July 13. Chandrayaan-3, the follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2, will be launched at 2:30 pm on July 13, news agency PTI reported, quoting officials. The primary objective of Chandrayaan-3 is to put a lander and a rover on the Moon's highlands near its south pole, and to demonstrate end-to-end landing and roving capabilities. ISRO will use Chandrayaan-2 as a backup relay.
Chandrayaan-3 will be launched using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-Mk III), also called the Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3), from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Consisting of a lander, a rover, and a propulsion module, Chandrayaan-3 weighs a total of 3,900 kilograms. The propulsion module, which weighs 2,148 kilograms, will carry the lander and rover to a 100-kilometre lunar orbit. The lander module, which refers to the complete configuration of the lander and the rover fitted inside the former, weighs 1,752 kilograms. The rover weighs 26 kilograms.
The rover will be similar to Chandrayaan-2's Vikram rover, but improvements have been made to help ensure a safe landing.
The propulsion module will generate 758 Watts of power, the lander module 738 Watts, and the rover 50 Watts.
Objectives of Chandrayaan-3
The objectives of Chandrayaan-3, apart from demonstrating a safe and soft landing and roving capabilities on the lunar surface, is to conduct in-situ scientific experiments, and develop and demonstrate new technologies required for interplanetary missions, ISRO says on its website.
Chandrayaan-3: The lander, the rover, and the propulsion module
The Chandrayaan-3 lander has been designed in a way such that it can land softly in the Moon at a specified site, and deploy the rover, whose aim is to conduct in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface. The propulsion module will carry the lander module to the final 100-kilometre circular orbit. After reaching this orbit, the lander module and the propulsion module will separate.
The propulsion module, after separation, will remain in orbit around the Moon, and act as a communications relay satellite, NASA says on its website.
The lander, rover and propulsion modules will carry their own scientific payloads.
According to NASA, the propulsion module is a box-like structure and will be mounted with a large solar panel on one side and a large cylinder on top. The cylinder, called the Intermodule Adapter Cone, will act as a mounting structure for the lander.
At the bottom of the propulsion module, the main thruster nozzle is located.
The box-shaped lander has four landing legs, four landing thrusters, a number of sensors to ensure a safe touchdown, and a suite of cameras to avoid hazards and have positional knowledge.
The lander is also equipped with an X band antenna which will ensure communications.
The rover is rectangle-shaped, and has six wheels and a navigation camera.