Chandrayaan-3 Mission to Land on Moon Today
India’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, is expected to make a historic landing on the Moon’s surface today at around 6:04 pm IST. The mission consists of a lander and a rover, similar to Chandrayaan-2, but does not have an orbiter. The lander, named Vikram after the founder of ISRO, carries a 26 kg rover named Pragyaan, which means wisdom in Sanskrit. The mission aims to explore the south polar region of the Moon, which has not been visited by any other country before.
The lander and the rover will perform various scientific experiments on the lunar surface, such as studying the mineralogy, topography, elemental abundance, and seismic activity of the region. They will also test the presence of water ice and other volatiles in the permanently shadowed craters near the south pole. The mission is expected to last for 14 Earth days, which is equivalent to one lunar day.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. It entered the lunar orbit on August 16 and performed a series of orbit reduction maneuvers to reach a 30 km x 100 km orbit around the Moon. On August 21, the lander separated from the propulsion module and began its descent towards the landing site. ISRO has said that all systems are functioning normally and the mission is on schedule.
India’s Space Achievements Lauded by Minister
Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State for Space, has praised India’s achievements in space technology and said that the country is taking a lead in using space applications for infrastructure and development. He said that India has made remarkable progress in space exploration and innovation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Singh was speaking at a webinar on “Space Technology for Infrastructure Development” organized by ISRO and FICCI on Monday. He said that India has successfully launched several satellites for various purposes, such as communication, navigation, earth observation, meteorology, disaster management, education, and health. He also mentioned some of the flagship projects of ISRO, such as Gaganyaan, Aditya-L1, and NISAR.
Singh said that India is collaborating with several countries and international agencies in space activities. He said that India is a founding member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and has signed agreements with France, Japan, Australia, and others for space cooperation. He also said that India is sharing its space expertise and resources with other developing countries through initiatives such as South Asia Satellite and capacity building programs.
India’s Space Sector Opens Up for Private Participation
Singh also said that India is opening up its space sector for private participation and creating a conducive environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. He said that the government has established Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) as an independent regulatory body to facilitate and oversee the activities of private entities in space. He said that IN-SPACe will provide a level playing field for private players and ensure compliance with national and international norms.
Singh said that the government has also formed New Space India Limited (NSIL) as a commercial arm of ISRO to undertake production and marketing of space products and services. He said that NSIL will enable greater utilization of ISRO’s facilities and resources by private players and enhance the competitiveness of Indian space industry in the global market.
Singh said that India’s space sector has immense potential for growth and development. He said that India’s space economy is estimated to be around $7 billion, which is only 2% of the global space economy. He said that India aims to increase its share to 10% by 2025 by leveraging its strengths in cost-effective and reliable space technology.
