Introduction

As a remarkable continuation of India’s quest for space exploration, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched another Chandrayaan launched the mission. 3 month journey. The mission follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2, and aims to better understand the mysteries of the moon and develop India’s strategic capabilities in the technology field. From its successful launch to its highly anticipated  landing, Chandrayaan-3 promises to capture the world’s attention and inspire future space explorers. Now, India is on Moon!

Takeoff: Scheduled for the Moon

Chandrayaan 3 was launched through the joint efforts of ISRO’s multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, technicians and support staff.

These brave workers work tirelessly to  design, build and test every aspect of the aircraft. The most common launch vehicle is the GSLV Mk III,  chosen for its payload  and reliability. The drive system has been carefully designed and the on-board computer is programmed to perform complex operations with precision.

LVM3 M4/Chandrayaan-3:
Lift-off, tracking and onboard views pic.twitter.com/eUAFShS1jA

— ISRO (@isro) July 14, 2023

Navigation Journey: Journey to the Moon

Chandrayaan-3 Moon Journey is the result of the collaboration of navigation experts, analysts and underground stations.

The spacecraft’s path was carefully planned to ensure efficient fuel delivery and  timely arrival to the lunar surface. The aircraft’s communication system, including  antennas and transponders, is designed to transmit important information and commands between the aircraft and the ground control mission.

Using the slingshot mechanism, the spacecraft was travelling with the earth’s gravity and thrust of small rockets in between to orbit the earth 4 times.

Reaching the Moon Orbit: Precision and Patience

When Chandrayaan-3 reached the moon, the guidance and control team stepped in. These engineers used the spacecraft’s thrusters to ignite the rocket and increased its orbit for entry to the Moon.

The team’s calculations take into account many parameters, including the moon’s gravitational field and the speed of the spacecraft. This calculation and adjustment allows Chandrayaan-3 to enter the asteroid as planned.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
The spacecraft has covered about two-thirds of the distance to the moon.

Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) set for Aug 5, 2023, around 19:00 Hrs. IST. pic.twitter.com/MhIOE65w3V

— ISRO (@isro) August 4, 2023

Soft Landing Prepare: End

The success of the Moonship 3 soft landing depends on the dedication of the ground crew and scientists. This crew is specifically designed to protect rockets, landing legs and attitude control.

Many simulations and tests have been carried out to ensure that the lander can control the complexities of the solar environment, such as  reduced gravity and disorder. The team also evaluated lessons learned from the previous month’s missions to improve their approach and drive success.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:

🌖 as captured by the
Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC)
on August 15, 2023#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3 pic.twitter.com/nGgayU1QUS

— ISRO (@isro) August 18, 2023

The lander module and propulsion module got separated as planned on Aug 17, 2023. 

Soft Landing Success: Celebrating Success

The culmination of Chandrayaan-3 ‘s journey in was a successful soft landing on the moon. This success is the result of years of teamwork.

The Automatic landing sequence (ALS) was initiated at the designated point of the arrival of Vikram lander. Upon receiving commands from ALS, the lander module will activate the throttle engines to initiated the powered descent onto the moon.

The horizontal velocity was decreased slowly from 1650 m/s to 0 m/s covering a wide range of distance and vertical velocity was increased to 70 m/s and slowly got decreased due to the thrust. At one point, the lander was floating with no movement. It reached an altitude of 10 m and made all the thrust off. It landed safely onto the moon by choosing the right place by avoiding the rocks and potholes, thanks to artificial intelligence and image processing.

The ground control crew monitors all aspects of the landing sequence and makes timely decisions based on information sent from the lander. The  success of this mission is a testament to the continued commitment of the entire ISRO team, from the scientists developing the instruments to the engineers developing the equipment.

Below are the images taken from Lander Vikram after soft landing onto the moon’s south pole.