INDIA: In a significant step towards India’s ambitious lunar exploration program, scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) visited the revered Tirupati Temple with a miniature model of Chandrayaan-3 as the countdown for the upcoming moon mission commenced.
The mission, slated to launch from Sriharikota tomorrow, aims to achieve a historic soft landing on the lunar surface and make India the fourth country to accomplish this feat.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, accompanied by a team of dedicated scientists, arrived at the Sri Chengalamma Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, to seek divine blessings for the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
With great reverence, they offered prayers with a meticulously crafted miniature model of the rocket, symbolizing their faith and determination to propel India’s space exploration endeavours to new heights.
Speaking to the press, Somanath expressed optimism and stated, “Chandrayaan-3 will start its journey tomorrow. We are hoping that everything goes right and it lands on the moon on August 23.”
His words echoed the anticipation and enthusiasm within the scientific community and the nation as a whole, eagerly awaiting India’s next lunar milestone.
Chandrayaan-3, a remarkable inter-planetary mission, comprises an indigenous propulsion module, a lander module, and a rover. Its primary objective is to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies crucial for future space missions.
In a nation that has already made significant strides in space exploration, Chandrayaan-3 represents a crucial step forward, building upon the knowledge gained from previous missions.
To ensure meticulous preparation, ISRO recently conducted a comprehensive 24-hour launch rehearsal, simulating the entire launch process. The mission’s pinnacle moment will be the planned soft landing on the moon’s surface, scheduled for late August.
This crucial phase follows the setback encountered during the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019, when the desired soft landing could not be achieved.
The Indian space program has captured the nation’s imagination and garnered global attention, as exemplified by the viral images and videos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoling then-ISRO chief K Sivan during the Chandrayaan-2 launch.
The Prime Minister, along with enthusiastic school children, had visited the launch site to witness the historic moment and lend his support to the dedicated scientists.
Chandrayaan-3’s mission architecture includes a lander module capable of executing a soft landing on a designated lunar site and deploying a rover that will conduct in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface.
Both the lander and rover are equipped with scientific payloads to perform various experiments and expand our understanding of the moon’s composition.
The propulsion module, another critical component of the mission, will accompany the lander module from the launch vehicle injection until it reaches a final lunar orbit of 100 kilometres.
Additionally, the propulsion module carries its own scientific payload, enabling further experimentation once it separates from the lander module.
GSLV-Mk3, the designated launcher for Chandrayaan-3, will place the integrated module into an elliptic parking orbit measuring approximately 170 x 36,500 kilometres, setting the stage for the subsequent lunar journey.
As India prepares to embark on this momentous lunar mission, the nation’s aspirations and dreams intertwine with the scientific community’s unwavering dedication and expertise.
With the blessings of the Tirupati Temple, the miniature model of Chandrayaan-3 stands as a testament to India’s pursuit of excellence in space exploration.
All eyes now turn to the launchpad at Sriharikota, where history awaits the successful liftoff of Chandrayaan-3, propelling India’s space program to greater celestial heights.
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