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The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is gearing up for the moon landing of its Chandrayaan-3 mission on August 23. The overall process of landing may take around 30 minutes, said Isro chairman S Somanath.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission will be India’s third lunar mission, and its first attempt to land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole. The lander and rover are expected to land in the Sinus Iridum region of the south pole.
The landing process will be divided into four phases:
- Earth Orbit Phase: The lander and rover will orbit the Earth for about a week. During this time, they will be checked and calibrated.
- Trans Lunar Injection (TLI) Phase: The lander and rover will be injected into lunar orbit. This will take about 5 days.
- Lunar Orbit Phase: The lander and rover will orbit the Moon for about a week. During this time, they will be further checked and calibrated.
- Powered Descent and Landing (PDL) Phase: The lander will descend to the lunar surface and land. This will take about 30 minutes.
The PDL phase is the most critical part of the mission. The lander will have to slow down from a speed of about 1.68 km per second to zero in a controlled manner. It will also have to avoid any obstacles on the lunar surface.
Isro is confident that the Chandrayaan-3 mission will be successful. The space agency has conducted extensive tests of the lander and rover, and the ground systems.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a major milestone for India’s space program. If successful, it will make India the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the Moon. It will also help India to learn more about the lunar south pole, which is a region that has not been explored in detail.
Indian diaspora performs Havan in Virginia for successful landing of #Chandrayaan3 #Chandrayaan-3 is on the verge of making history by accomplishing a landing on the unexplored southern pole of the #Moon today. #Chandrayaan3Landing https://t.co/LH9l2DvIFs
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) August 23, 2023
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is also a significant step towards India’s goal of becoming a leading spacefaring nation. The space agency is planning to launch a number of ambitious missions in the coming years, including a manned mission to the Moon.
The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission will be a major boost for India’s space program and will help to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
