The Press Stories
India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander successfully adjusted its liftoff time by four seconds to avoid potential collisions with other space objects. The historic launch took place on July 14 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and accomplished a soft landing on the moon, making India the fourth country to achieve this feat.
The decision to shift the liftoff time was made after careful analysis of the orbits of tracked space objects. This precaution was taken to ensure there were no collision threats during the mission. Launch clearance is a mandatory practice for all space launch vehicles, as the increasing number of objects in orbit poses potential risks.
Chandrayaan-3 was first launched into an orbit similar to a geostationary transfer orbit. From there, it was captured into an elliptical lunar orbit. This complex maneuver showcased India’s technological advancements in space exploration.
Initial science results from Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander and Pragyan rover data collection were recently discussed. The team presented measurements of the lunar plasma environment near the moon’s south pole. These measurements revealed sparse plasma levels, and further analysis is being conducted to understand the potential implications for lunar radio communications.
Notably, the Vikram lander performed a propulsive “hop” that allowed it to repeat science measurements in a new location. This hop not only provided valuable scientific data but also served as verification of payload accuracy and performance.
Unfortunately, attempts to contact the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover in late September were unsuccessful. Despite this setback, the mission itself has been highly successful and has brought India’s space program to the global forefront.
With the successful landing, Chandrayaan-3 has opened up new possibilities for future lunar missions and scientific discoveries. India has once again proven its capabilities in the field of space exploration, and the country’s scientists and engineers continue to make significant contributions to the global space community.
