Chandrayaan-3 lands softly on the southern polar region of the moon, making India the first nation to accomplish this feat
“India is on the Moon”: ISRO chief S Somanath announced as Chandrayaan-3 lander module Vikram made a soft landing on the surface of the moon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO on the historic achievement of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission was carefully planned with the aim of overcoming all the setbacks and challenges faced by its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2. With a reported budget of Rs. 615 crore, the succession of the 40-day mission marked India as the 4th nation to successfully soft-launch their satellite on the moon, and the 1st nation to reach the moon’s south polar region – to be specific.
ISRO took to Twitter to share the news of the successful landing.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023
‘India🇮🇳,
I reached my destination
and you too!’
: Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 has successfully
soft-landed on the moon 🌖!.
Congratulations, India🇮🇳!#Chandrayaan_3#Ch3
Here is a comprehensive timeline of the mission’s key events:
14th July, 2023
The much-anticipated launch of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, was brought into action from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 14:35:17 Hrs IST. The launch of the spacecraft was streamed live on multiple official platforms of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from 14:00 Hrs IST. ISRO made a follow-up announcement confirming that the spacecraft was successfully launched into orbit, surpassing critical stages
15th July, 2023 – 26th July, 2023
To begin with, it was made known that the spacecraft would orbit the Earth in five phases – being placed in an orbit farther away from the Earth in each phase. With every phase scheduled at a gap of 1-2 days, the spacecraft was accelerated at scheduled hours to achieve the intended orbit around the Earth. ISRO constantly shared updates about the spacecraft’s health being normal, and the orbit achieved. Below are the orbits at which the spacecraft was placed after every firing.
- 15th July, first orbit maneuver: 41762 km x 173 km.
- 17th July, second orbit maneuver: 41603 km x 226 km.
- 18th July, third orbit raising maneuver: 51400 km x 228 km.
- 20th July, fourth orbit raising maneuver: 71351 km x 233 km.
- 26th July, fifth and final orbit raising maneuver: 127603 km x 236 km.
1st August, 2023
By completing its orbits around the Earth, Chandrayaan-3 set out on a path connecting the Earth and the moon, known as the “Lunar Transfer Trajectory”. ISRO successfully conducted another critical stage in the mission, TransLunar Injection (TLI), and placed the spacecraft at 369328 km x 288 km. This stage allowed the spacecraft to set free from the gravitational pull of the Earth and hence enter into the moon’s influence for further stages as planned.
5th August, 2023
Following the TLI, the spacecraft embarked on its next stage: Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) around 19:00 Hrs IST, which was undoubtedly a success. ISRO stated on X, “MOX, ISTRAC, this is Chandrayaan-3. I am feeling lunar gravity” as the spacecraft was successfully inserted into the lunar orbit at 18074 km x 164 km from the moon’s surface.
6th August, 2023 – 9th August, 2023
ISRO proudly shared the first few pictures of the moon as viewed by the spacecraft. Similar to the orbits around the Earth, the spacecraft was placed in orbits closer to the moon with every retro firing of the engines. Below are the orbits at which the spacecraft was placed from the lunar surface.
- 6th August, first orbit reduction maneuver: 4313 km x 170 km.
- 9th August, second orbit reduction maneuver: 1437 km x 174 km.
14th August, 2023 – 16th August, 2023
ISRO started with its next stage of the mission: Orbit circularisation.
- 14th August: A precise maneuver was conducted, as the spacecraft achieved a “near-circular” orbit of 177 km x 150 km.
- 16th August: A short firing was performed, placing the spacecraft at 163 km x 153 km orbit.
ISRO stated that the spacecraft had been going on a journey toward the moon, and had completed all the steps needed to get there. With this, the lunar-bound maneuvers came to an end.
17th August, 2023
The separation of the Lander Module (LM) from the Propulsion Module (PM) was marked as another milestone, propelling India’s lunar presence to encompass three satellites. With the Propulsion Module continuing its trajectory in its current orbit, the focus shifted toward the Lander Module. ISRO planned a deboosting maneuver for the LM to gradually lower its position even further within the moon’s orbit.
18th August, 2023
ISRO shared pictures of “Chandra” as captured by Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC) on 15th August. Furthermore, ISRO shared another video of the moon as viewed by Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1 on 17th August, right after the LM and PM separated. The LM underwent its first deboosting operation which placed it at 157 km x 113 km from the lunar surface, maintaining normalcy in its health.
20th August, 2023
With precision and effectiveness, the LM underwent its second and conclusive deboosting procedure, placing it into a definitive orbit of 134 km x 25 km. Subsequent to this accomplishment, the Lander Module diligently underwent a series of internal assessments in alignment with ISRO’s directives and awaited the sun-rise. Chandrayaan-3 followed its intended trajectory perfectly, however, what lies ahead is the most anticipated stage. The lessons drawn from the crashing of Chandrayaan-2 because of anomalies faced in ensuring a soft landing have created a sense of pressure, but have also increased the scientists’ commitment to ensure a successful completion of the mission.
21st August, 2023
ISRO shared captivating images of the unexplored far side of the moon. These remarkable images were captured by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC), a sophisticated technology developed by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre (SAC). This camera has enabled the identification of secure landing zones devoid of obstructions such as boulders or trenches. In a tweet, ISRO proudly announced the significance of this camera in ensuring a safe descent for the lunar mission. Nilesh M Desai, Director of Space Applications Centre, ISRO reveals a “Plan B” to postpone the soft-landing to 27th August – in case of any unfavorable conditions.
22nd August, 2023
Chandrayaan-3 received confirmation that it is proceeding as planned and is set to execute a precise soft landing on the lunar surface according to the predetermined timeline. ISRO has diligently overseen the comprehensive system checks, ensuring that all components are operating seamlessly in preparation for this significant event. In a statement, ISRO has excitedly announced that the historic lunar landing will be broadcasted live for the world to witness. The live streaming is scheduled to commence at 17:20 Hrs IST on: ISRO website, YouTube, Facebook, and DD National TV; underlining ISRO’s commitment to transparency and its mission to share space exploration with the broader public.
23rd August, 2023
The day marked history for India as Chandrayaan-3 successfully lands on the lunar surface. With this, India became the first country to establish a soft landing on the south polar region of the moon.
Also read: Chandrayaan-3 mission: All you need to know about the launch
