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On July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan 3, India’s third lunar mission, is scheduled to lift off. India will aim to land a rover on the Moon for the first time during this mission, which will involve a soft landing on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan 3 UPSC
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the agency responsible for conducting the civil services examinations in India. The UPSC syllabus includes a section on space science and technology, and Chandrayaan 3 is likely to be a popular topic in the upcoming examinations.
A follow-up mission to Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 is Chandrayaan 3. A successful mission that orbited the Moon and made several significant discoveries was Chandrayaan 1. Despite failing to land its Vikram lander on the Moon successfully, Chandrayaan 2 was nonetheless a successful mission.
Compared to Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2, Chandrayaan 3 is anticipated to be a more challenging mission. Chandrayaan 3 will touch down at the South Pole of the Moon, a more difficult location than the equatorial zone where Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 landed.
Pragyaan is the name of the rover that will be launched by Chandrayaan 3. The mission of the little rover Pragyaan is to investigate the lunar surface. Pragyaan is planned to have a range of roughly 500 meters and come with a variety of scientific tools.
A significant milestone for India’s space program will be the launch of Chandrayaan 3. Future expeditions to the Moon will be made possible by the project, which will also showcase India’s abilities in lunar exploration.
Here are some of the critical objectives of Chandrayaan 3:
- To soft-land a rover on the lunar surface.
- To investigate the lunar South Pole.
- To research lunar minerals and geology.
- To look for water ice on the Moon.
- To carry out space science research.
Here are some of the challenges that Chandrayaan 3 will face:
- Compared to the equatorial zone, the South Pole of the Moon has more challenging landing conditions.
- The rover could be damaged because of how dusty the lunar surface is.
- There is no protection from sun radiation on the Moon because of its fragile atmosphere.
Despite its difficulties, Chandrayaan 3 is a promising mission with the potential to advance our knowledge of the Moon significantly.
Click here to learn about more about — India’s 3rd Moon Mission, Chandrayaan 3 Launch Date: ISRO
The history of India’s lunar missions:
Chandrayaan 1
On October 22, 2008, Chandrayaan 1, India’s first lunar mission, was launched. A lot of significant discoveries were discovered during the mission, which was a major success.
The presence of water ice on the lunar surface was one of the most significant discoveries made by Chandrayaan 1. On the Moon’s poles, where it is imprisoned in craters that are always in shadow, water ice has been discovered. The finding of water ice on the Moon is significant because it raises the possibility that it was once more livable than it is now.
Additional findings made by Chandrayaan 1 include:
- Hydroxyl (OH) groups are present on the lunar surface. Because they can be used to create water molecules, hydroxyl groups are significant.
- On the lunar surface, there are organic compounds. Because organic molecules constitute the foundation of life, their presence on the Moon raises the possibility that the Moon was previously habitable.
- The lunar crust’s makeup. Data from Chandrayaan 1 revealed that the lunar crust is composed of various substances, including basalt, anorthosite, and pyroxene.
Chandrayaan 2
On July 22, 2019, Chandrayaan 2 was launched. The successful orbiting of the Moon and deployment of the Vikram lander made the mission a partial success. The Vikram lander, however, could not touch down on the Moon’s surface securely.
The South Pole region of the Moon was intended to be the landing site for the Vikram lander. The location of the landing was picked because it is believed to be abundant in water ice. But a problem with the lander’s technology during the landing caused it to crash into the Moon’s surface.
Chandrayaan 2 was nevertheless a successful mission despite the Vikram lander’s failure. While the orbiter was still orbiting the Moon, it made a number of significant observations.
Chandrayaan 3
The launch of Chandrayaan 3 is planned for 2023. The mission is anticipated to be more difficult than Chandrayaan 1. However, Chandrayaan 2 has the potential to increase our understanding of the Moon considerably.
India will aim to land a rover on the Moon for the first time during this mission, which will involve a soft landing on the lunar surface. Pragyaan is the name of the rover that will be launched by Chandrayaan 3. The mission of the little rover Pragyaan is to investigate the lunar surface. Pragyaan is planned to have a range of roughly 500 meters and come with a variety of scientific tools.
A significant milestone for India’s space program will be the launch of Chandrayaan 3. Future expeditions to the Moon will be made possible by the project, which will also showcase India’s abilities in lunar exploration.
Chandrayaan 3 UPSC
Candidates who are preparing for the UPSC examinations should familiarize themselves with the goals of Chandrayaan 3, the challenges of lunar exploration, and the scientific instruments that will be used on the mission. They should also be able to discuss the significance of Chandrayaan 3 for India’s space program and the future of lunar exploration.
Learn more about the India’s Moon mission directly from ISRO’s website
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What exactly is Chandrayaan 3?
The objective of Chandrayaan 3, India’s third lunar mission, is to send a rover to the Moon’s surface. It is an extension of the productive Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 missions.
2. When is the Chandrayaan 3 launch planned?
On July 14, 2023, Chandrayaan 3 is expected to launch.
3. What does Chandrayaan 3 want to accomplish?
The main goals of Chandrayaan 3 are to do a soft landing on the lunar surface, investigate the lunar South Pole, learn about the lunar geology and mineralogy, look for water ice on the Moon, and carry out space research experiments.
4. What name will the rover that Chandrayaan 3 will launch go by?
Pragyaan is the name of the rover that will be launched by Chandrayaan 3. It is a compact lunar exploration rover that will be furnished with a variety of research tools.
5. Where is the Chandrayaan-3 landing location located?
The South Pole of the Moon is where Chandrayaan 3 will touch down. Instead of the equatorial regions where Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 landed, this position presents a more difficult landing site.
6. What distinguishes Chandrayaan 3 from Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2?
In terms of its goal and landing location, Chandrayaan 3 is different from its forerunners, Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2.
Chandrayaan 1 concentrated on orbiting the Moon and made significant findings, but Chandrayaan 2 attempted a soft landing with the Vikram lander but was unsuccessful. A soft landing with a rover will be tried by Chandrayaan 3 in the problematic South Pole region.
7. What significant findings was Chandrayaan 1 credited with making?
Chandrayaan 1 discovered a number of essential things, including the occurrence of water ice in the polar regions of the Moon, the presence of hydroxyl groups on the lunar surface, the identification of organic compounds, and insights into the makeup of the lunar crust.
8. What were Chandrayaan 2’s main successes?
By orbiting the Moon and deploying the Vikram lander, Chandrayaan 2 partially succeeded. Despite the Vikram lander’s inability to safely touch down on the lunar surface, the orbiter kept orbiting the Moon and made significant observations, and collected valuable data.
9. What are the difficulties Chandrayaan 3 is facing?
Chandrayaan 3 must overcome a number of obstacles, including the challenging landing at the Moon’s South Pole, the powdery lunar surface, which could harm the rover, and the absence of atmospheric shielding from solar radiation because of the Moon’s low atmosphere.
10. What does Chandrayaan 3’s launch mean for India’s space program?
As it indicates India’s capabilities in lunar exploration, Chandrayaan 3’s launch is a crucial milestone for the country’s space program. Future lunar missions will be made possible by this mission, which will increase our knowledge of the Moon and maybe lead to new scientific discoveries. It demonstrates the nation’s accomplishments in space technology.
