Harshita Mathur, Pune
Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra on July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan 3 is expected to land on the moon’s surface by August 2023. Officials revealed on July 15 that the spacecraft’s rover Pragyan on landing, will leave imprints of the ISRO and the national emblem, representing the Lion Capital of Ashoka, on the lunar surface. This would symbolize India’s presence and triumph which will be indelible on the moon’s surface.
On Friday afternoon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) initiated the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third expedition for lunar exploration. The mission reportedly aims to successfully land a rover on the surface of the Moon, which will be seen to be a remarkable achievement accomplished by only three nations thus far. This mission serves as a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which encountered a setback in September 2019 when it was unable to achieve a smooth landing on the lunar terrain.
On August 23, the spacecraft is expected to touch down in the Moon’s southern polar area. Consisting of a lander and rover module along with a variety of equipment, ISRO intends to acquire important data about the lunar surface. The main objectives of the Chandrayaan-3 mission are to showcase its efficiency in that it can successfully land on the moon and navigate the terrain there. Jitendra Singh, The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, stated that the main aim of the Chandrayaan 3 mission is to identify the potential for human survival and habitat on the moon. He also added that this mission has placed India as a “leading global player regarding space technology and the space sector”.
Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, calling the Chandrayaan-3 space mission a game changer for India, also added that this mission is capable of effectively increasing India’s market share in the global space industry. The mission was subsequently hailed by many other notable personalities, along with actors in the Indian Film Industry.