What's up with Chandrayaan-3?

India's ambitious Chandrayaan-3 is flying smoothly around the Moon, eyeing its ultimate goal of landing on the lunar surface.

Launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, the spacecraft has successfully entered the lunar orbit and is now inching closer to the Moon's surface.

As of Friday, Chandrayaan-3 is approximately 1,437km away from the Moon's surface. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has guided the spacecraft through a series of lunar-bound maneuvers, including the Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) carried out on August 5.

The spacecraft is expected to reach a 100 km orbit around the Moon by August 16 after which the Propulsion Module will separate from the Lander for the latter's final landing approach in the days that follow.

The primary objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface and to operate a rover for approximately one lunar day, or 14 Earth days.

The rover, weighing just 26 kilograms, will conduct scientific experiments to study the lunar environment, including its history, geology, and potential for resources.

Chandrayaan-3's journey to the Moon has been divided into three distinct phases: the Earth-centric phase, the lunar transfer phase, and the moon-centric phase.

After completing five orbits around Earth, the spacecraft was placed on a lunar transfer trajectory, marking the beginning of its lunar journey. The next critical step involves further reducing the spacecraft's orbit, which is scheduled for August 14.

If successful, Chandrayaan-3 will mark a significant achievement for India's space program, joining an exclusive list of countries that have achieved a controlled landing on the lunar surface.

The mission also stands as a testament to India's frugal space engineering, with a budget of just over Rs 600 crore, significantly lower than those of other countries.

ISRO Chief S Somanath has expressed confidence in the mission's success, stating that engineers have carefully studied data from previous missions and made necessary adjustments, developing a failure-based design to ensure landing.

The mission's success will be a major milestone for India, which has grown its space program considerably since its first lunar probe in 2008.

As the world watches, Chandrayaan-3 continues its journey, bringing India one step closer to making its mark on the lunar surface.