Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) chairman S Somnath said on Wednesday that Chandrayaan-3, part of India’s lunar mission, may be launched between July 12 and 19 this year. Speaking to news agency ANI at a college in Kerala’s Kottayam, the Isro chief mentioned that Chandrayaan has already arrived at the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota from the U R Rao Satellite Centre.
He said Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III will be used for this third edition of Chandrayaan mission in India.
“The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is currently fully integrated. We have completed testing and it has been paired with the rocket bay… The launch window is currently scheduled between July 12 and 19 and we will select the earliest possible date which may be the 12th, 13 or 14. The exact date will be announced once all the tests are completed,” the Isro chief said.
He mentioned that final preparations are underway and will be completed by the end of this month. All the components have been transported to the Sriharikota Space Center where the launch is scheduled.
The Isro chief further said that necessary repairs, including hardware, structure, computers, software and sensors, have been carried out in Chandrayaan-3 to ensure a smooth launch and avoid any problems.
What will Chandrayaan-3 have?
The Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration into a 100 km lunar orbit. It includes a payload called Spectro-Polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth, which will be used to study spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from lunar orbit.
“More fuel has been added and the landing legs have been strengthened. Large solar panels have been repaired to produce more power. And another sensor has also been added. To measure its speed, it uses a ‘Laser Doppler VelociMeter’ which was developed in the last We also changed its algorithm and new software has been added to help Chandrayaan land in a different area if there is any malfunction at the planned location,” the ISRO chairman said.
Update on the Aditya L-1 mission
Giving an update on India’s first solar mission, the Isro chief said, “Satellites for the Aditya L-1 mission are being integrated and payloads developed by various agencies have reached the satellite hub. They are currently undergoing integration within the satellite.” The satellite will undergo a series of tests, including but not limited to a thermal bag and vibration tests. The launch is planned using the PSLV rocket and we can expect the launch by August 10.”
The Aditya L-1 mission is India’s first space mission to study the Sun. It is specifically designed to probe the solar atmosphere with a particular focus on the chromosphere and corona.
ISRO chief on India’s entry into Artemis Accord
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US, India decided to join the United States’ Artemis Agreement and agreed to cooperate on a joint mission to the International Space Station. The Artemis Accords is an international agreement that provides guidelines for civilian space exploration and promotes sustainable use.
Speaking about the deal, the Isro chief said, “We look at the Artemis deal as a political commitment with the US. It is a statement of intent that when the US proposes cooperation in the space sector, especially the exploration of the outer planets in a very cordial atmosphere between different nations, we agree. So it has a lot of expression.
