After rolling down a ramp from the Chandrayaan-3 lander, the six-wheel, 26-kg rover, which is capable of slowly moving up to 500 metres, will begin its job of lunar exploration. The landing has happened at lunar dawn, and the six payloads on board the lander and rover will start collecting data soon after to get as much science as possible in the single lunar day or 14 Earth days for which they will remain operable.

The Chandrayaan-3 payloads will further the science learnings of the two predecessor missions by studying lunar quakes, mineral compositions, and the electrons and ions near the surface of the Moon. The mission will attempt to study water-ice, the presence of which was detected by Chandrayaan-1.

The southern polar region of the Moon is known to have deep craters that remain in permanent darkness, with a high likelihood of having water-ice. Perhaps the most important discovery made by instruments on board Chandrayaan-1 was the discovery of water and hydroxyl (OH) molecules in the Moon’s thin atmosphere (exosphere) as well as on the lunar surface. Read Explainer by Anonna Dutt 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday said Sri Lanka was proud of India's historic achievement as he congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India over the success of the country's lunar mission Chandrayaan-3.

“President Ranil Wickremesinghe extended heartfelt congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Modi, team ISRO and the people of India for the successful landing of Chandrayaan 3, being a remarkable feat as it was the first on the lunar South Pole”, the President's Office said in a statement.

Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka is proud of India's historic achievement. (PTI)

Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav says, "It (Chandrayaan-3) has only the scientists' contribution and we thank them. They are the most reputed people in the country. I salute them for making India's name rise."

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah meets scientists at ISRO in Bengaluru after the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface on August 23.

VIDEO | Karnataka CM @siddaramaiah meets scientists at ISRO in Bengaluru after the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface on August 23. pic.twitter.com/pRlGQFL89E

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 24, 2023

Congress Parliemntary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi congratulates ISRO on Chandrayaan-3.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon is one of the most defining moments in India’s history. It consolidates its position as a space power. India is one of the four countries to accomplish a soft landing on the lunar surface, and the first to do so near the Moon’s South Pole. Just like the implications of the nuclear tests, for instance, went far beyond nuclear or military affairs, the ramifications of Chandrayaan-3’s success are not restricted to matters of space. ISRO’s successful mission adds yet another dimension to India’s increasing global heft, across sectors. Read our editorial here

The moon rover, Pragyan, of Chandrayaan-3 exited the spacecraft on Thursday morning as it began its exploration of the lunar surface, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on X, previously known as Twitter. The space agency on Wednesday scripted history as its third Moon mission, Chandrayaan-3’s lander module (LM) made a safe and soft-landing on the lunar surface. 

After Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the Moon, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said an elated nation with 140 crore aspirations today witnessed yet another achievement in its six-decade-long space programme and the entire world is looking up to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is a matter of special pride for all Indians.

"We are deeply indebted to the remarkable hard work, unparalleled ingenuity and unflinching dedication of our scientists, space engineers, researchers and everyone involved in making this mission a triumph for India," Kharge said.

Kharge said in 2008, when the Moon Impact Probe (MIP), the Chandrayaan-1 Mission, carrying the Indian National Flag landed on the moon, "we became the 4th country to land a scientific device on the moon's surface".

ISRO Chairperson S Somanath Wednesday lauded the scientists involved in Chandrayaan-3 moon landing mission, and said that the success of the project will create an ambition to attempt adventurous deep space missions including landings on Venus and Mars.

Addressing the ISRO team at the Mission Operations Complex in Bengaluru after the successful safe and soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3’s lander module on the lunar surface, Somanath said the success was the result of work of thousands of scientists.

Stating that the landing velocity was less than the targeted 2 m/sec, the ISRO chief said the achievement has given great hope for future missions. Read More

In its latest update, ISRO informed that the communication link has been established between the Chandrayaan-3 Lander and MOX-ISTRAC, Bengaluru.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Updates:

The communication link is established between the Ch-3 Lander and MOX-ISTRAC, Bengaluru.

Here are the images from the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera taken during the descent. #Chandrayaan_3#Ch3 pic.twitter.com/ctjpxZmbom

— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023

After Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the Moon, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi congratulated Team ISRO for today's pioneering feat. 'Chandrayaan3's soft landing on the uncharted lunar South Pole is the result of decades of tremendous ingenuity and hard work by our scientific community,' Gandhi said.

He said since 1962, India's space program has continued to scale new heights and inspire generations of young dreamers.

Congratulations to Team ISRO for today's pioneering feat.#Chandrayaan3’s soft landing on the uncharted lunar South Pole is the result of decades of tremendous ingenuity and hard work by our scientific community.

Since 1962, India’s space program has continued to scale new…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 23, 2023

As Chandrayaan-3 lands on the moon, it just so happens that the name of the current Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud, means “on whose brow the moon takes refuge” – a title for Shiva.

The story goes that a long time ago, the moon was cursed with a wasting disease because he favoured only one of his many wives, the 27 lunar mansions (nakshatra). As per another tale, this happened because he dared elope with Tara (star), wife of Brihaspati (Jupiter). In either case, he began to wane. Fearing he would disappear forever he ran to the gods for help. They told him to worship Shiva. Why Shiva? Because from Shiva springs the Ganga which has the power to help the dead be reborn. If Shiva can give the dead another chance at life, he surely can resurrect the waning moon.

Shiva appeared before Chandra at the site we now call Somnath, on the shores of Gujarat, and placed the moon-god on his hair-knot, helping him wax again. Soma is the Vedic herb of regeneration. Shiva is identified with it. In time, the moon itself came to be known as Soma, for it regenerates, and reminds all of us that what wanes eventually waxes, what crumbles eventually resurrects, what collapses eventually rises. Be it temples. Be it democracy. Be it civil society. Read this Opinion piece by Devdutt Pattanaik

"When we see such historic moments it makes us very proud. This is the dawn of new India," said PM Modi. "Humne dharti par sankalp kiya aur chand pe usse sakaar kiya... India is now on the Moon,' he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3’s lander on the moon terming the moment as "unprecedented."

With just 20 minutes away from the scheduled moon landing, ISRO chairman S Somnath and heads of key ISRO centers are seated at the ISTRAC mission operations centre MOX, awaiting to witness the finest moment of India's space agency.

India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 is set to enter its crucial final stage today, as it prepares to land on the lunar surface at around 6:04 pm. According to ISRO, as of August 22, the mission is on schedule and its live telecast will begin on Wednesday at 5:20 pm.

Much has been made of the fact that if the Lander accomplishes a ‘soft landing’ on the Moon’s south pole, it will make India the only country to do so. Once that happens, the rover, which is a small vehicle that is meant to move around on the Moon’s surface, will come out of the Lander.

Here, we further take a look at why a ‘soft landing’ is crucial to the mission, what makes landing on the south pole a difficult feat, and what happens after India does so. Read More

India is set to land its Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s uncharted south pole Wednesday and all eyes are on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and its scientists who have made the spacecraft’s voyage possible.

Hundreds of ISRO scientists have worked behind the scene to make the moon landing possible and in turn, make India the first country to land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole.

Here are the six key scientists behind ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission

The Nehru Planetarium in Delhi is offering an immersive experience to the public by presenting a live show that captures the landing of Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander on the moon's surface. This captivating event will provide an opportunity for visitors to witness and celebrate the success of India's lunar mission in real-time.

Chandrayaan-3, India’s third Moon mission, took off from the Sriharikota launching range on July 14. The mission hopes to put behind the failure of Chandrayaan-2, which had crashed on the lunar surface in 2019. Important improvements have been made in the design to ensure that another accident is avoided.

While attempting a soft-landing on September 7, 2019, Chandrayaan-2 had failed to reduce its speed to the desired level in the final seconds of descent. Scientists later detected problems in both the software and the hardware — in consequence, the software and hardware in Chandrayaan-3 have been equipped with several additional capabilities.

The Chandrayaan-3 Lander is carrying more fuel than Chandrayaan-2. This has been done to ensure that the Lander is able to make a last-minute change in its landing site, if it needs to.

A Lander does not have wheels; it has stilts, or legs, which are supposed to touch down on the lunar surface, and then stabilise. Chandrayaan-2 lost control over its descent around 7.2 km from the surface of the Moon. Its communications system relayed data of the loss of control up to around 400 m above the surface. The Lander had slowed down to about 580 km/hr when it crashed. The legs of Chandrayaan-3 have been strengthened to ensure that it would be able to land, and stabilise, even at a speed of 3 m/sec, or 10.8 km/hour. Of course, this would be of little use if Chandrayaan-3 is struck by a problem similar to the one that crashed Chandrayaan-2, but this can certainly avert many other kinds of troubles in case of a rough landing. Read our Explainer to know more

As the Lander Module of Chandrayaan-3 prepares to land on the surface of the Moon on Wednesday, Isro’s ISTRAC centre and MOX will play a crucial role. While the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command (ISTRAC) centre in Bengaluru will provide command tracking support, its state-of-the-art mission control facility or MOX will see scientists monitoring the mission, minute to minute.

The ISTRAC centre provides telemetry, tracking and command services from the time a rocket launches with a satellite or spacecraft to injection of the satellite into orbit and through the lifespan of the satellite. ISTRAC has a network of ground stations at Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mauritius, Sriharikota, Port Blair, Thiruvananthapuram, Brunei and Biak (Indonesia) and Deep Space Network stations.

MOX consists of a Mission Control Room and a Mission Analysis Room which monitor a spacecraft 24×7. There are two MOX complexes at ISTRAC. Since the launch of the Chandrayaan-3, the health and other flight parameters of the spacecraft have been controlled from MOX. The MOX facilities were first set up at ISTRAC for the Chandrayaan-1 fly-by-the-moon mission in 2008. Read More

The Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) have made crucial contributions to the Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission, which is set to land close to the unexplored lunar south pole on Wednesday (August 23) evening. Both institutions were founded in Ahmedabad by Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme.

ISRO SAC will play a crucial role in the landing process. It has developed a number of sensors on board the lander, including the hazard detection and avoidance camera and processing algorithm.

SAC has developed eight camera systems for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, four of which are on board the lander, and one on the rover — these five cameras will be primarily used for capturing images and their public dissemination. Three other cameras on the lander will play a crucial role in the landing. Read our Explainer

Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said that poster, painting and quiz competitions depicting India's moon mission will be conducted today in all government schools of Punjab to congratulate the Chandrayaan-3 on the moon landing and give good wishes.

???????-3 ?? ??? '?? ??????? ??? ?????-????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ??.....

????? ????????? ?? ????? ???? ???-??? ?? ????? ???? ???????-3 ???? ???? ??????? ??? 14 ????? ??? ????? ???? ???
40 ????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ???

?????…

— Harjot Singh Bains (@harjotbains) August 22, 2023

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) founder Vikram Sarabhai's s son, Kartikeya Sarabhai, on Wednesday said the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface will be great for humanity as no one has been able to land on the south side of the moon.

"It's a fantastic thing if you think of it, that for anyone on the planet, not just for India, but to be able to send, this precision with which we have been able to send Chandrayaan-3 and also through a process which is quite different from the others," Kartikeya Sarabhai told ANI.

"I mean, to think of a process which meant that you circle the Earth first and then like a sling, you go there and then you circle the moon and then come back," Kartikeya, Director of Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environmental Education said. (ANI)

Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat says, "It is a very big achievement and I want to congratulate the scientists in advance...We want that Chandrayaan-3 should land successfully." (ANI)

ISRO’s Chandrayaan -3’s soft landing on the lunar south pole and related events will be held at the following places in Gujarat:

Gujarat Council of Science City: Live streaming of the moon landing at the Amphitheatre in Science City and at the Regional Science Centre (RSC) and Community Science Centres (CSC)

High Education Institutes: They will conduct special assemblies from 5:30pm-6:30pm.

In its latest update, ISRO has indicated that it is all set to initiate Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS). "Awaiting the arrival of Lander Module (LM) at the designated point, around 17:44 Hrs. IST," ISRO wrote in a post on X on Wednesday.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
All set to initiate the Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS).
Awaiting the arrival of Lander Module (LM) at the designated point, around 17:44 Hrs. IST.

Upon receiving the ALS command, the LM activates the throttleable engines for powered descent.
The… pic.twitter.com/x59DskcKUV

— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023

As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) gears up for a historic landing on the Moon’s surface, Chennai-based software developer Shanmuga Subramanian, who made international headlines in 2019 by locating the debris of the Chandrayaan-2 mission’s Vikram lander, will be keeping a close eye on the Chandrayaan-3 landing, scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

In December 2019, Subramanian found the Chandrayaan-2 lander’s debris that had eluded both NASA and ISRO scientists.

Armed with just a standard laptop, he had spent several days in late November 2019 comparing old and new images of the lunar surface, zooming in and out, pixel by pixel. The method, while unorthodox, led to the discovery of a single anomaly – a dot – that turned out to be part of the Vikram lander.

Read the full story here.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur says, "India has made a huge leap in the Space sector. All of us are awaiting the moment when Chandrayaan-3 mission becomes successful. This will put India among the very few countries in the world that have made significant contributions to the Space sector." (ANI)

Schools in Haryana will organise live streaming of the soft landing of ISRO's moon mission Chandrayaan-3 Wednesday evening to inspire the students and boost their self-confidence, said state's Education Minister Kanwar Pal.

He said all district education officers in the state have been instructed to open the schools from 5 pm to 6 pm on Wednesday. "Students of schools in Haryana will watch Chandrayaan-3's soft landing on the moon live.

All district education officers have been instructed to open schools from 5 pm to 6 pm on Wednesday," Pal said on X, formerly Twitter.

(PTI)

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar says, "The entire world has its eyes on this huge leap in Space by India. This will be not just ours but an achievement of the entire humanity. I pray for the success of this mission and congratulate ISRO and our scientists in advance. I also thank PM Narendra Modi who has encouraged and inspired scientists every moment."

#WATCH | Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar says, "This is a proud moment for every Indian...Our Chandryaan-3 is going to land on the moon. The entire country is waiting for this great moment with bated breath. The entire world has its eyes on this huge leap in Space by India. This… pic.twitter.com/MzbdvRzDc8

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, "I want to congratulate the ISRO scientists... India's science and technology will give direction to the entire world."

#WATCH | On Chandrayaan-3 mission, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, "I want to congratulate the ISRO scientists...India's science and technology will give direction to the entire world. 'Chanda mama ab hamare paas honge'..." pic.twitter.com/cY1LSAHcR4

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

The Indian Express interviewed three prominent entrepreneurs in space technologies to understand what Chandrayaan-3 means for their own future, and how do they intend to contribute to ISRO’s space programme in the future.

Srinath Ravichandran is the co-founder of Agnikul Cosmos, which makes launch vehicles and launch systems. 

Pawan Kumar Chandana is co-founder of Skyroot, which makes rockets for launching small satellites to Low-Earth orbits. 

Prateep Basu is CEO of Satsure, which aims to offer satellite-based space data and solutions for specific applications in agriculture, infrastructure, climate change and financial inclusion sectors.

To read their interactions with us, click here.

? July 14: LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launches Chandrayaan-3 into orbit from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Chandrayaan-3 starts its journey into precise orbit.

? July 15: First orbit-raising manoeuvre (Earthbound firing-1) successfully performed from ISTRAC/ISRO, Bengaluru. The spacecraft is in 41762 km x 173 km orbit.

? August 1: ISRO performs Translunar Injection successfully and inserts the spacecraft into translunar orbit. Orbit achieved is 288 km x 369328 km.

? August 5: Lunar-Orbit Insertion of Chandrayaan-3 performed successfully. Orbit achieved is 164 km x 18074 km, as intended.

? August 6: ISRO performs second Lunar Bound Phase (LBN). With this, the spacecraft is in a 170 km x 4313 km orbit around the Moon. The space agency releases video of the Moon as viewed by Chandrayaan-3 during lunar orbit insertion.

? August 16: Spacecraft brought down to an orbit of 153 km x 163 km after firing is completed.

? August 17: Lander module is successfully separated from the propulsion module.

? August 19: ISRO performs de-boosting of the lander module to reduce its orbit. The lander module is in 113 km x 157 km orbit around the Moon.

? August 21: Chandrayaan-2 orbiter formally welcomes Chandrayaan-3 lander module saying ‘Welcome, buddy!'. Two-way communication between the two is established. 

? August 22: ISRO releases images of the Moon captured by the Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC) of the Chandrayaan-3 mission from an altitude of about 70 km. Systems are undergoing regular checks. 

? August 23: Safe and soft landing of Chandrayaan-3's lander module on the southern pole of lunar surface expected at 6.04 pm.

(PTI)

Padma Shri awardee and former ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai says, "So far so good and we expect as per plan 'A' today we must be able to land. Like anyone else, I am also largely waiting.'

#WATCH | On Chandrayaan-3 mission, Padma Shri awardee and former ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai says, "...So far so good & we expect as per plan 'A' today we must be able to land...Like anyone else, I am also largely awaiting. After the discovery of water by Chandrayaan 1 the… pic.twitter.com/oz7LHnuLSz

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

Space strategst spoke to ANI and said, 'I think it is a very big day for India. The reason is that Chandrayaan 2 could not land & now we want to show the entire world that we not only have the technical capability but we have the ability to go and do a soft landing on the South Pole. The South Pole is an area where there has been no landing uptill now...All the landings earlier have been in & around the equator. It is difficult to land on the South Pole & therefore it is a great achievement for India to do it on such a small budget.'

#WATCH | Noida: On Chandrayaan-3 mission, Space Strategist, PK Ghosh says, 'I think it is a very big day for India. The reason is that Chandrayaan 2 could not land & now we want to show the entire world that we not only have the technical capability but we have the ability to go… pic.twitter.com/3BOsCDi6ZK

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

The Chandrayaan-3 mission has been generating a lot of discussion around India’s space programme, and Moon missions in general. Click here for some quick facts you may not have known about the missions.

People congregated in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat among other states to pray for the sucessful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module on the moon. Footage of people performing havans and pooja emerged on the internet on Wednesday.

#WATCH | Prayers offered at Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan for the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3. pic.twitter.com/eDyzHjDFOx

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

CEO and chief educator, Rocketeers Research Institute, Divyanshu Poddar talks about the challenges for the Chandrayaan-3 mission and says: "It will be a great achievement for us if we successfully land on the moon. We will become the second country to make a soft landing...We have learnt a lot from Chandrayaan 2. We have made changes in our communication, propulsion and in the legs. Russia's failure just shows how difficult it is to land on the moon." (ANI)

Former ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair says, "Everybody is anxiously looking forward to this great event. As far as the Indian space program is concerned, it is going to be the most significant milestone for planetary exploration."

#WATCH | Chandrayaan-3 mission | Former ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair says, "...Everybody is anxiously looking forward to this great event. As far as the Indian space program is concerned, it is going to be the most significant milestone for planetary exploration...The last 20… pic.twitter.com/OiBuUrfQOn

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

Russian Consul General to South India Oleg Nikolayevich spoke to ANI and expressed that "Everyone has great expectations" from India's moon mission. He said:

#WATCH | On Chandrayaan-3 mission, Russian Consul General to South India, Oleg Nikolayevich Avdeev says, "Today Chandhrayaan 3 is expected to land on the surface of the moon. Everyone in India is eagerly waiting for that to happen. Everyone has great expectations & I am also… pic.twitter.com/dUrQG2BLz5

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

"Scientists from across the country, including Bengal, have greatly contributed to the mission. I applaud the efforts of all those who have worked hard at taking India's lunar exploration to greater heights!" wrote West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on X (formerly known as Twitter) as ISRO stood at the brink of making history.

Chandrayaan-3 mission is a matter of pride for the entire nation!

The @isro team belongs to India. Their hard work is a testament of the country's progress which has come from the people, scientists and economists, and not any political entity.

Scientists from across the…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 22, 2023

If all goes to plan, the Moon landing will make India the first country to land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole, the finest moment till date of its space programme — and end the disappointment over the crash-landing of the Chandrayaan-2 lander four years ago.

ISRO’s Telemetry Tracking and Command Centre (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru will issue a command at 1747 hours that will signal the spacecraft to begin the descent.

From a velocity of about 6,000 km/hour in the orbit, the spacecraft will have to slow down to near zero as it makes a touchdown. It is designed to land safely even at speeds of 10 km/hour.

The descent will be completely autonomous – artificial intelligence and computer logic driven – with the mission control at ISTRAC keeping a close watch.

The Centre has asked all universities and higher education institutions, including IITs and IIMs, to organise special assemblies to watch the live-streaming of Chandrayaan-3's landing on moon.

“The landing of India's Chandrayaan-3 is a monumental occasion that will not only fuel curiosity but also spark a passion for exploration within the minds of our youth. It will generate a profound sense of pride and unity as we collectively celebrate the prowess of Indian science and technology.

“It will contribute to fostering an environment of scientific inquiry and innovation,” Higher Education secretary K Sanjay Murthy said in a letter to all heads of all education institutions.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also issued a similar directive asking the institutions to hold special assemblies and live stream moments of Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar mission landing, on Wednesday. (PTI)

The critical technical manoeuvre that the Chandrayaan-3 lander will have to perform on August 23 when it enters the final 15 minutes of its attempt to make a soft landing on the Moon will be to transfer its high-speed horizontal position to a vertical one — in order to facilitate a gentle descent on to the surface.

These final 15 minutes on Wednesday evening will determine the success of the mission. In July 2019, after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aborted the first attempt to launch the Chandrayaan-2 mission, K Sivan, then chairman of India’s space research body, had described this phase as “15 minutes of terror”.

Read more about this phase here.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
The mission is on schedule.
Systems are undergoing regular checks.
Smooth sailing is continuing.

The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) is buzzed with energy & excitement!

The live telecast of the landing operations at MOX/ISTRAC begins at 17:20 Hrs. IST… pic.twitter.com/Ucfg9HAvrY

— ISRO (@isro) August 22, 2023

ISRO’s Telemetry Tracking and Command Centre (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru will issue a command at 1747 hours that will signal the spacecraft to begin the descent. From a velocity of about 6,000 km/hour in the orbit, the spacecraft will have to slow down to near zero as it makes a touchdown. It is designed to land safely even at speeds of 10 km/hour. 

The descent will be completely autonomous – artificial intelligence and computer logic driven – with the mission control at ISTRAC keeping a close watch. The final approach will be a heady cocktail of anxiety, nervousness and anticipation. It was in these last moments that Chandrayaan-2 developed problems and fell on the Moon’s surface. Four missions, including Luna-25 of Russia two days ago, have met a similar fate in the last four years. Read more here 

As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) gears up for a historic landing on the Moon’s surface, Chennai-based software developer Shanmuga Subramanian, who made international headlines in 2019 by locating the debris of the Chandrayaan-2 mission’s Vikram lander, will be keeping a close eye on the Chandrayaan-3 landing, scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

In December 2019, Subramanian found the Chandrayaan-2 lander’s debris that had eluded both NASA and ISRO scientists. Read more

With the highly anticipated landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon scheduled for Wednesday, Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams has expressed her excitement and anticipation for the event.

Williams, renowned for her remarkable contributions to space expeditions, eagerly looks forward to the Pragyaan rover's exploration of the lunar south pole, which holds great promise for scientific discoveries.

In a statement shared by National Geographic India, she emphasised the importance of lunar exploration, not only for the knowledge it promises to unveil but also for the potential it holds for sustainable living beyond our planet. "Landing on the Moon will provide us with invaluable insights. I am truly thrilled that India is at the forefront of space exploration and the pursuit of sustainable living on the Moon. These are truly exciting times," Williams said. (PTI)

In Gujarat, the science and technology council has invited over 2,000 school students "to witness the historic moment" on a large screen, its head Narottam Sahoo said. The council has also organised talks by ISRO scientists. The event will be shown live across Gujarat's 33 district community science centres.

The state culture ministry in Kolkata is throwing a "Science Party" to celebrate the mission, asking people to "embark on exhilarating educational adventure" with a live telecast.

Srikant Chunduri, an entrepreneur and founder of a group of space enthusiasts called "Agnirva", said he has arranged a "watch party" for the landing at a popular Bengaluru restaurant. "If we want to build a community for space enthusiasts, (there is) nothing more momentous than this landing to get people together," he told Reuters.

Uttar Pradesh will be screening the moon landing at all its state-run schools. Meanwhile, the Assam School Education Department has asked all schools to organise special assemblies of students to watch live stream of Chandrayan-3 landing on the moon.

Hindu religious prayer ceremonies were organised on Tuesday in Mumbai and Varanasi for the success of the mission.

Nein Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men on the Moon when the Apollo 11 landed on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969. Here are visuals of the first moonwalk shared by NASA:

The Moon's gravitational pull is much weaker than Earth's, approximately one-sixth of Earth's gravity. As a result, objects on the Moon weigh significantly less than they do on Earth. This is due to the Moon's smaller size and mass. For example, a person weighing 68 kilograms on the Earth would weigh only over 11 kg on the Moon.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced that the moon landing by 'Chandrayaan-3's will be telecast live in all state-run shools in Uttar Pradesh. Schools will open specially for one hour in the evening for the viewing.

Citing instructions of the State government's education ministry, the Uttar Pradesh government has said that arrangements should be made for live telecast by organizing special meetings in schools and educational institutions from 5.15 to 6.15 pm.

With a push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has privatised space launches and is looking to open the sector to foreign investment as it targets a five-fold increase in its share of the global launch market within the next decade.

If Chandrayaan-3 succeeds, analysts expect India's space sector to capitalise on a reputation for cost-competitive engineering. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had a budget of around just $74 million for the mission.

NASA, by comparison, is on track to spend roughly $93 billion on its Artemis moon programme through 2025, the U.S. space agency's inspector general has estimated.

China made the first ever soft landing on the far side of the moon in 2019 and has more missions planned. Space research firm Euroconsult estimates China spent $12 billion on its space programme in 2022.

A successful voyage to the moon's south pole is a mission that could advance India's space ambitions and expand knowledge of lunar water ice, potentially one of the moon's most valuable resources.

Here's why space agencies and private companies see it as a key to a moon colony, lunar mining and potential missions to Mars.

Scientists are interested in pockets of ancient water ice because they could provide a record of lunar volcanoes, material that comets and asteroids delivered to Earth, and the origin of oceans. If water ice exists in sufficient quantities, it could be a source of drinking water for moon exploration and could help cool equipment. It could also be broken down to produce hydrogen for fuel and oxygen to breathe, supporting missions to Mars or lunar mining.

North Korea plans to launch a satellite between Aug. 24 and Aug. 31, Japan's Coast Guard said, the second such try this year after a failed attempt in May that ended with the launch vehicle plunging into the sea.

South Korea, the United States, and other countries have condemned previous space launches by the Nuclear-armed North, which is banned from such activities under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

It was early 2000, I think, that we began discussing the road ahead for ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). By that time, most of Vikram Sarabhai’s early goals for the Indian space programme — self-reliance, launch capabilities, societal needs — had been met, and the question that stared us in the face was ‘what next’.

I remember the issue was vigorously discussed, and a moon probe seemed to be one of the natural options for ISRO to explore. Dr K Kasturirangan, who was the chairman then, set up a committee under Dr George Joseph, director of Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, to study what could be done in this regard.

Read the full opinion by former ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair