The Indian Space Research Organization (ISA) achieved success after a long journey, from transporting rocket components by bicycle and ox cart to the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
One of ISRO's first missile components was transported to the launch site by bicycle. Photo: ISRO
August 23rd was a momentous day for India and space exploration . The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully landed on the Moon, making India the fourth nation after the US, the Soviet Union, and China to have made a gentle landing there using an automated spacecraft, according to Space News .
The smooth landing also made Chandrayaan-3 the first spacecraft to land on the Moon's south pole. India achieved this feat not long after Russia's Luna 25 spacecraft lost control and crashed into the lunar surface. Timing was crucial here because Chandrayaan-3 was solar-powered and designed to survive a lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days. Within this timeframe, the spacecraft was expected to conduct a series of experiments, including analyzing the mineral composition of the lunar surface using spectroscopy, before disappearing into darkness at the end of the lunar day.
While both the Luna 25 and the Vikram lander on the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft are equipped with devices designed to study the surface soil, exosphere, water, and minerals, including helium-3, the main difference between the two is that the Russian spacecraft is scheduled to operate for one Earth year. Luna 25 is equipped with a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, providing heat and electricity, while the Vikram lander and its Pragyan rover would not survive the lunar night.
The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission marked a major milestone, as it was the first spacecraft to land at the Moon's south pole, an area rich in water ice and valuable minerals. This pioneering achievement is particularly significant, as data from the experiments will help support future lunar missions.
Chandrayaan-1, a spacecraft that orbited the Moon in 2008, was India's first attempt to launch a spacecraft beyond Earth. It was the first mission to detect water on the lunar surface, significantly impacting the space exploration plans of both the United States and China. The lunar south pole is also the landing site for the US Artemis 3 mission. Scientists have long speculated that hidden craters in this area may contain large amounts of water ice, which could be exploited for various purposes. The Chandrayaan-1 discovery helped to prove this hypothesis.
From transporting rocket components by bicycle and ox cart to the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the story of ISRO's development is like a movie script. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on July 14th: "Chandrayaan-3 writes a new chapter in India's space adventure. The spacecraft soars high, lifting the dreams and ambitions of all Indians. This momentous achievement is a testament to the tireless dedication of our scientists."
ISRO's history is characterized by perseverance, innovation, and collaboration. Founded in 1969, ISRO has maintained a remote sensing program since 1988, providing valuable Earth observation data at various temporal, spatial, and spectral resolutions through a range of instruments. Their PAN camera was once the highest-resolution civilian camera before the launch of the Ikonos satellite by DigitalGlobe in the US in 1999.
ISRO has launched 124 spacecraft, including three to the Moon and one to Mars, and has supported the launch of 424 satellites from other countries. Their PSLV rocket is the preferred choice for joint spaceflight services, having deployed 104 satellites in a single launch in 2017, holding the world record until it was surpassed by SpaceX's Transporter-1 mission in 2021.
In 2018, ISRO completed its own navigation system called NavIC, joining a select few countries with this capability (the US, Russia, China, the European Union, and Japan). NavIC was created due to concerns that global positioning satellite systems controlled by foreign governments might not provide service in certain situations, such as in 1999 when the US refused India's request for GPS data in the Kargil region on the India-Pakistan border.
The Chandrayaan missions represent a continuation of this tradition. The successful launch of the GSLV Mk-III rocket carrying the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft marked a turning point, demonstrating ISRO's mastery of heavy payload technology. Building on that achievement, Chandrayaan-3 has taken the technology to the next level, hinting at a future where India can fully develop lunar missions within its capabilities.
ISRO's annual budget for 2023-2024 is $1.5 billion, down 8% from previous budget estimates, and includes science costs for missions such as Chandrayaan-3 and the upcoming Aditya L1 mission to study the Sun. For comparison, NASA will receive $25.4 billion in funding for fiscal year 2023, a 5.6% increase over 2022.
ISRO's technological prowess attracted global attention in 2013 with the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also known as Mangalyaan. What made MOM stand out was not only the fact that it was the first successful attempt to send a probe to Mars, but also because of its extremely low cost, only $74 million. MOM operated in orbit for eight years, continuously observing the Martian surface until it ceased operations in 2022. Similarly, the Chandrayaan-3 mission cost approximately $75 million, equivalent to a single SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch.
Nine years after Chandrayaan-1, the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft launched in July 2019, but it was unsuccessful. The spacecraft reached lunar orbit as planned. According to the schedule, the lander and rover were supposed to land at the south pole but crashed due to deviating from the planned flight path. According to ISRO, the cause of the accident was a software malfunction.
Essentially, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is almost identical to Chandrayaan-2, with the software issues fixed. The Chandrayaan-3 mission will undoubtedly advance scientific research, promote groundbreaking experiments, and contribute to a better understanding of the Moon, including its composition, geology, and resource potential. It also lays the groundwork for other missions such as Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX), a collaboration between ISRO and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
An Khang (According to Space News )
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