The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which has a busy year ahead of it, has made significant progress on Chandrayaan-3, the country's third moon mission.
The team is getting closer to integrated testing after successfully completing numerous associated hardware and special tests.
Chandrayaan-3 has undergone a number of evaluations, enhancements, and strengthening.
Some of them are based on the problems we've already experienced in Chandrayaan - 2. However, the problems discovered thus far may not be the only ones.
The queries are many, and we must anticipate many of them, which may need more revisions. The hardware is also being developed.
While Somanath is set to undertake a formal evaluation of the project later this month, Jitendra Singh, minister of state for space, has said that Chandrayaan-3 is being developed based on the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2 and proposals offered by national-level specialists.
"The Chandrayaan - 3 launch date is set for August 2022." ~ Somanath , ISRO Chairman.
Testing and construction of the lander and other equipment that will be part of Chandrayaan-3 are proceeding at several ISRO centers, according to many scientists involved with the project, while design alterations are nearing completion.
While the mission was originally scheduled for late 2020 or early 2021, the Department of Space (DoS) announced earlier this year that the launch will be delayed until 2022 due to Covid-19.
"...Because we need a certain launch window, we must work toward a deadline, failing which the launch will be postponed until the next year."
"However, high management has made it plain that all stages in the procedure must be completed before the mission can be launched," a source added.
"Chandrayaan-3 design adjustments integrating and testing has witnessed significant progress, by the middle of the year, the mission may be launched." stated then-ISRO chairman K Sivan in his New Year speech on January 3.
Chandrayaan-3 would have significant design differences from the previous mission.
- The most notable of which being the decision to remove the fifth engine, which was installed at the last minute to Vikram (Chandrayaan-2's lander).
- The lander for this mission will only have four engines, and the supervising committee has proposed a slight alteration to the lander's legs, as well as the addition of a laser doppler velocimeter (LDV) for improved speed measurement during landing.
- Upgrades in software and algorithms, leg strengthening, and improved power and communication systems are among the suggested changes for Chandrayaan-3, which were signs of deficiencies in Chandrayaan-2.
The fact that one GSLV-Mk3 mission is named in the Union Budget 2022-23, among other things, is considered as a source of hope for Chandrayaan-3.
"The realization of Chandrayaan-3 is in process, based on the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2 and proposals offered by national level specialists."
Many associated hardware and special testing have been done satisfactorily.
Mr. Singh responded to Ravneet Singh and Subburaman Thirunavukkarasar's question about the mission's delay by saying, "The launch is slated for August 2022."
The Minister blamed the delays to "pandemic-related" delays and project "reprioritization."
The ISRO's (Indian Space Research Organization) most recent big satellite launches were the Earth Observation Satellite-3 in August and the Amazonia satellite in February.
- Up till December, the ISRO has scheduled 19 missions, including eight launch vehicle missions, seven spacecraft missions, and four technology demonstration flights.
- This financial year, the ISRO has been given a budget of Rs 13,700 crore, approximately 1,000 crore higher than the previous year.
- Despite the fact that multiple missions are scheduled this year, the projected expenditure is lower than the 13,949 crore allocated last year.
- Minister Jitendra Singh informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that India wants to launch the Chandrayaan-3 mission in August.
Despite the fact that the government previously declared that the mission will take place in 2022, this is the first time a particular month has been confirmed.
- The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a follow-up to Chandrayaan-2, which landed a rover on the lunar South Pole in July 2019.
- It was launched on the GSLV-Mk 3, the country's most powerful geosynchronous launch vehicle.
However, instead of a safe landing, lander Vikram crashed on the moon's surface on September 7, 2019, preventing rover Pragyaan from reaching the surface.
It would have been the first time a nation landed a rover on the moon in its first attempt if the mission had been successful.
Following the failure of Chandrayaan-2's soft landing attempt following a successful orbital insertion due to a last-minute malfunction in the soft landing guidance software, another lunar mission to demonstrate soft landing was suggested.
Chandrayaan-3 will be a mission duplicate of Chandrayaan-2.
With the exception that Chandrayaan-3 will only include a lander and rover comparable to Chandrayaan-2.
- It will be devoid of an orbiter. In August 2022, the spacecraft will be launched.
- The rocket for the spacecraft's launch has been deemed ready and is awaiting the module.
ISRO launched Chandrayaan-2 with a GSLV Mk III launch vehicle, which included an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, in the second phase of the Chandrayaan mission to test soft landing on the Moon.
Earlier rumors suggested that India and Japan will collaborate on a mission to the lunar south pole, with India supplying the lander and Japan providing both the rocket and the rover.
Site sampling and lunar night survival technology may be included in the expedition.
The failure of the Vikram lander led to the development of a new mission to show the landing capabilities required for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, which is planned for 2024 in collaboration with Japan.
- The lander for Chandrayaan-3 will only have four throttle-able engines, as opposed to Vikram's five 800 Newtons engines on Chandrayaan-2, one of which was centrally positioned with a set thrust.
- A Laser Doppler Velocimeter will also be installed on the Chandrayaan-3 lander (LDV).
- ISRO requested initial funding for the project of 75 crore (US$10 million) in December 2019, of which 60 crore (US$8.0 million) will be used to meet expenditures for machinery, equipment, and other capital expenditures, and the remaining 15 crore (US$2.0 million) will be used to meet revenue expenditures.
ISRO chairman K. Sivan confirmed the project's existence and estimated the cost to be approximately 615 crore (US$82 million).
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