The wait is over as Chandrayaan-3 was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota as per scheduled launch time.
The journey from earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth.
Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country after US, China, and Russia, to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the country’s abilities for safe and soft landing on lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3 is the ISRO’s follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives.
Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the Lunar Transfer Trajectory after the orbit raising maneuvers. Covering a distance of over 300,000 km, it will reach the Moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments onboard will study the Moon’s surface and enhance our knowledge.
Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with a lander, a rover and a propulsion module. It weighs around 3,900 kilograms. Moon serves as a repository of the Earth’s past and a successful lunar mission by India will help enhance life on Earth while also enabling it explore the rest of the solar system and beyond.
July 14, 2023 will always be etched in golden letters in the annals of India’s space sector history, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of the launch of much-awaited Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission. “This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation,” PM Modi had tweeted earlier.
“Thanks to our scientists, India has a very rich history in the space sector. Chandrayaan-1 is considered to be a path breaker among global lunar missions as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon.
It featured in over 200 scientific publications around the world,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter. “Till Chandrayaan-1, the moon was believed to be a bone-dry, geologically inactive and uninhabitable celestial body. Now, it is seen as a dynamic and geologically active body with the presence of water and sub-surface ice,” he added, asserting it might be potentially inhabited in the future.
PM Modi’s tweet
Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian. This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!
Rahul Gandhi’s tweet
Today, more than a billion of us look to the sky, beaming with pride. Chandrayaan 3 is the fruit of decades of labour by the scientific community since the launch of India’s space programme in 1962, followed by the creation of ISRO in 1969. The success of this mission will make us only the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon. A truly incredible feat! Congratulations to the entire team at ISRO.
Ajit Pawar’s tweet
Congratulations to team
@isro for the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3, India’s third moon mission. This remarkable progress in science inspires the dreams of our nation to always strive for greater achievements.
Yogi Adityanath’s tweet
Jai Hind
Mallikarjun Kharge’s tweet
Our collective happiness is Over the Moon !!
Thanks to the tremendous ingenuity, dedication, skill and hard work of our scientists, engineers and everyone involved in the successful launch of #Chandrayaan3 Mission. We are extremely proud of each one of you for this remarkable achievement. On behalf of the Congress party, we express our sincere gratitude to the extraordinary team at @Isro India’s lunar missions began with Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, which confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon !