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CHANDRAYAAN-3

India has launched its third Moon Mission, aiming to It comes 13 years after the
be the first to land near its little explored South Pole. country’s first moon mission in 2008,
which carried out “The first and most
The Chandrayaan-3 space craft with an Orbiter, detailed search of water on the lunar
Lander and a rover lifted off on July 14, 2023 at 14:35 on surface during day time”, said Sh.
Friday (09:05 GMT) from Sriharikota Space Centre. The Lander Mylswamy Annadurai, Project Director,
reached the South Pole of Moon on 23rd August 2023. After CHANDRAYAAN-1.
its success, India was the fourth country to achieve a soft
landing on the Moon, after The US, The former Soviet Union CHANDRAYAAN-2 which also DIVYA SIDDAPPA HURKENNAVAR,
D/o HC/GD S. L. HURKENNAVAR
and China. Thousands of people who watched the launch comprised an orbiter, a Lander GC CRPF BENGALURU
from the viewer’s gallery and BBC’s Mr. Arunoday Mukharji and a rover- was launched in
who was at the launch site said there were roars of “Bharat July 2019 but it was only partially
Mata ki Jai” (Victory to Mother India) from every corner of
the hall.

“Chandrayaan-3 has begun its journey towards
the moon” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
remarked, following the successful lift off. Chief Sreedhara
Panikar Somanath said “Our launch vehicle has put the
CHANDRAYAAN on the precise orbit around earth”. Prime
Minister Sh. Narendra Modi said CHANDRAYAAN-3 “Scripted
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 scientist’s
relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!” he
wrote on his X account. The India’s third programme on lunar
exploration, CHANDRAYAAN-3 has achieved its mission to
success. successful. It’s
orbiter continues to circle and study the moon even today
PROGRESSION OF CHANDRAYAAN-3 : but the lander-rover failed to make a soft landing and
1.Take off from Sriharikota, India crashed during touchdown. It was because of “A last minute
2.Rocket detach in two stages glitch in the breaking system”, explained by Mr. Annadurai.
3.CHANDRAYAAN-3 orbits the earth in phases until it enters
the Moon’s orbit CHANDRAYAAN-3, which weighs 3,900 kg and cost 6.1
4. Module enters lunar orbit billion rupees, has the “same goals” as its predecessor – to
5. Lander separates from propulsion module ensure a soft landing on the moon’s surface, he added.
6. Lands near the South Pole of Moon CHANDRAYAAN-3 is successfully inserted into the lunar orbit.
It not only expanded our knowledge of the moon but has

WHY CHANDRAYAAN-3 TOOK TIME TO REACH THE also demonstrated India’s growing capabilities in the Space
MOON ? exploration.

Lack of powerful rocket :-
While the CHANDRAYAAN-3 mission was launched
on India’s heaviest rocket the launch vehicle Mark-III, it was
still not strong enough to propel the mission on a direct
path to the moon. Hence, the longer journey. Its propulsion
module behaves like a communication relay satellite.

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