The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 11th July 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Second moonshot

Why in News?

At 2.35 p.m. Indian Standard Time on July 14, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon onboard a Launch Vehicle Mark 3 from Sriharikota. Chandrayaan-3 is largely a replica of its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, that was launched in July 2019 in the form of an orbiter and a lander (‘Vikram’) bearing a rover (‘Pragyan’). 

Chandrayaan-3 Mission

• Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
• It consists of Lander and Rover configuration. It will be launched by LVM3 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.
• The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit.
• The propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.

Retaining the Names: A Tribute to Chandrayaan-2

• ISRO Chairman confirmed that the names Vikram and Pragyan will be carried over to the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
• This decision pays homage to the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 lunar adventure while symbolizing India’s commitment to its space exploration legacy.

Overcoming Past Challenges: Learning from Chandrayaan-2

• The Chandrayaan-2 mission faced setbacks when the lander-rover configuration, along with the payloads, was lost during a failed soft landing attempt.
• Undeterred by the previous mission’s outcome, ISRO announced its plans for Chandrayaan-3, aiming for a successful lunar landing.

Mission Details: Exploring the Moon’s Surface and Atmosphere

• Chandrayaan-3 will be launched aboard the LVM3 rocket from Sriharikota using a propulsion module.
• The lander-rover configuration will be transported to a 100-km lunar orbit by the propulsion module.
• The Vikram lander module will deploy Pragyan, which will conduct in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface.

[A] Scientific Payloads: Unravelling Lunar Mysteries

1. Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA): Studying the moon’s ionosphere and atmosphere.
2. Chandra’s Surface Thermo physical Experiment (ChaSTE): Analyzing the thermal characteristics of the lunar surface.
3. Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): Investigating seismic activities on the moon.
4. LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA): Enabling precise measurements of the lunar distance.

[B] Rover Payloads

1. Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): Analyzing the elemental composition of the lunar surface.
2. LASER Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS): Studying the elemental abundance and characteristics of lunar rocks.

[C] Propulsion Module Payload

• Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE): Collecting data related to Earth’s habitability.

Conclusion

• India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission signifies the nation’s determination to explore the moon further and overcome past challenges.
• By retaining the names Vikram and Pragyan, ISRO honors its space program’s pioneers while embarking on a new lunar adventure.