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How chandrayaan 3 works?


let me first start by explaining some terminologies that I will be using in this blog so that you don't need to Google every now and then. 

  • ISRO: ISRO stands for Indian Space Research Organisation. It is India’s national space agency responsible for space research and exploration.
  • Lander: A lander is a spacecraft (A spacecraft is a vehicle designed for travel or operation outside the earth’s atmosphere) designed to land on a celestial body such as a planet or moon.
  • Rover: A rover is a vehicle designed to move across the surface of a celestial body (A celestial body is an aggregation of matter in the universe, such as a planet or star that can be considered as a single unit for astronomical study) such as a planet or moon.
  • Propulsion module: A propulsion module is a component of a spacecraft that provides thrust (in lame language thrust is forward force) to move it through space.
  • Powered descent: Powered descent refers to using rocket engines to slow down a spacecraft as it approaches a celestial body in order to make a soft landing.
  • Lunar orbit: Lunar orbit refers to an orbit around the Moon.
  • Lunar South Pole: The lunar south pole is located at the southernmost point on the Moon.
  • Soft-land: Soft-landing refers to landing a spacecraft gently on a celestial body without causing damage.
  • Lunar day: A lunar day is the time it takes for one rotation of the Moon on its axis. It is approximately equal to 14 Earth days.
  • Payloads: Payloads refer to scientific instruments or other equipment carried by a spacecraft for performing its mission.

 

Chandrayaan-3 is the third Indian lunar exploration mission under the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan program. It consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, similar to those of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The propulsion module carried the lander and rover configuration to lunar orbit in preparation for a powered descent by the lander.

CREDITS: ISRO

The mission was launched on 14 July 2023, and the lander and rover landed near the lunar south pole region on 23 August 2023, making India the first nation to successfully land a spacecraft near the lunar south pole, and the fourth country to soft-land on the Moon.

The mission life of Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover is one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. The prime landing site is located at coordinates 69.367621 S, 32.348126 E.

The science payloads onboard Chandrayaan-3 include several instruments on the lander, rover, and propulsion module. The lander is equipped with instruments such as Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA), Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE), Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), and Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA). The rover carries instruments such as Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). The propulsion module carries an instrument called Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE).

VIKRAM LANDER

PRAGYAN ROVER

The total mass of Chandrayaan-3 is 3900 kg, with the propulsion module weighing 2148 kg and the lander module weighing 1752 kg, including the rover which weighs 26 kg. The power generation capacity of the propulsion module is 758 W, while that of the lander module is 738 W with bias. The rover has a power generation capacity of 50 W.

Communication between different components of Chandrayaan-3 is facilitated through various means. The propulsion module communicates with IDSN, while the lander module communicates with IDSN and the rover. Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is also planned for contingency link. The rover communicates only with the lander.

The lander is equipped with several sensors such as Laser Inertial Referencing and Accelerometer Package (LIRAP), Ka-Band Altimeter (KaRA), Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC), Lander Hazard Detection & Avoidance Camera (LHDAC), Laser Altimeter (LASA), Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV), Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC), Micro Star sensor, Inclinometer & Touchdown sensors. It also has reaction wheels, bi-propellant propulsion system, and various mechanisms to facilitate its operation on the lunar surface.

Overall, Chandrayaan-3 is a highly sophisticated mission that aims to explore the lunar south pole region and gather valuable scientific data. Its successful landing on the Moon marks a significant achievement for India’s space program.

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