CHANDRAYAAN-3 MISSION OF ISRO
Recently, the Department of Science has stated that India plans to execute the Chandrayaan-3 mission in August 2022.
Chandrayaan 3 Mission
The Chandrayaan 3 mission is the third planned lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It follows ISRO's Chandrayaan 2 mission, which successfully deployed its orbiter around the Moon but failed to soft-land its lander and deploys its rover after a last-minute glitch in soft landing guidance software. Similar to Chandrayaan 2 mission, Chandrayaan-3 will also include a modified lander and rover. The mission will not include an orbiter, due to the success of the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter. It will use the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter to communicate with the earth.
WHAT IS GSLV-Mk 3?
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III was developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is a three-stage vehicle, designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit. It has a mass of 640 tonnes that can accommodate up to 8,000 kg payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 4000 kg payload to GTO (Geo-Synchronous Transfer Orbit).
WHAT IS GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT?
Geosynchronous satellites are launched into orbit in the same direction the Earth is spinning and can have any inclination. When the satellite is in orbit at a specific altitude (approximately 36,000km above the Earth's surface), it will exactly match the rotation of the Earth. Geostationary orbits fall in the same category as geosynchronous orbits, but with that one special quality of being parked over the equator. In the case of geostationary satellites, the Earth’s force of gravity is exactly enough to provide acceleration required for circular motion.
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO): To attain geostationary or geosynchronous earth orbits, a spacecraft is first launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. From the GTO the spacecraft uses its engines to shift to geostationary or geosynchronous orbit.
ISRO’S MOON EXPLORATION
- Chandrayaan: The Chandrayaan project began in 2007 with an agreement between India’s space agency ISRO and Russia’s ROSCOSMOS for mutual cooperation. However, the mission was postponed in January 2013 and rescheduled to 2016 as Russia was unable to develop the lander on time.
- Findings: Confirmed presence of lunar water. Evidence of lunar caves formed by an ancient lunar lava flow. Past tectonic activity was found on the lunar surface. The faults and fractures discovered could be features of past interior tectonic activity coupled with meteorite impacts.
- Chandrayaan-2 is India's 2nd mission to the moon and comprises a fully indigenous Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan). The Rover Pragyan is housed inside Vikram lander.
LUNAR MISSION OR EXPLORATIONS BY DIFFERENT NATIONS
ARTEMIS PROGRAM OF NASA
With the Artemis program, NASA wishes to demonstrate new technologies, capabilities and business approaches that will ultimately be needed for the future exploration of Mars. It stands for Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun. The program is divided into three parts:
- Artemis I is most likely to be launched 2021 and involves an uncrewed flight to test the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft.
- Artemis II will be the first crewed flight test and is targeted for 2023.
- Artemis III will land astronauts on the Moon’s South Pole in 2024.
NASA & THE MOON
The US began trying to put people in space as early as 1961. Eight years later, on 20th July, 1969, Neil Armstrong along with Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first human to step on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission. Apart from the purpose of space exploration, NASA’s endeavour to send Americans to the Moon again is to demonstrate American leadership in space and to establish a strategic presence on the Moon, while expanding the US global economic impact.
UAE’S MISSION TO MOON
- Recently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon in 2024.
- Name: The rover would be named Rashid after Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, one of the original founding rulers of the UAE. Rover is a vehicle for exploring the surface of a planet or moon.
- Aim: The rover will explore the surface of the moon in areas that have not been explored previously by human missions such as NASA’s Apollo. Participating in the moon exploration is part of the UAE’s space strategy to build new knowledge capabilities and advance the country’s scientific, technical and research environment.
- Fourth Nation: If successful in 2024, the UAE could become the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the moon after the USA, the former Soviet Union and China. India, Israel and Japan have tried but failed in landing a spacecraft on the moon.
- UAE’s Space Mission: In July 2020, the UAE launched a Mars probe named Amal (Hope) from Japan, marking the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission. Amal is set to reach Mars in February 2021, the year UAE will celebrate 50 years of its formation. The UAE has also set a goal to build a human colony on Mars by 2117. UAE is a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. In 2019, the UAE sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station.
CHINA’S MOON MISSION: CHANG’E
China made its first lunar landing in 2013. In January 2019, the Chang’e-4 probe touched down on the far side of the moon, the first by any nation’s space probe. Chang’e is a series of lunar probes launched by China National Space administration. It aims to have a permanent manned space station in service by around 2022. Within the next decade, China plans to establish a robotic base station to conduct unmanned exploration in the south polar region of the moon. It is to be developed through the Chang’e-6, 7 and 8 missions through the 2020s.
TEST YOURSELF
Q.1 From the given options, which of the following missions is the third planned lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)?
- Shukrayaan 3 Mission
- Chandrayaan 3 Mission: ANSWER
- Chang'e 3 Mission
- None of the following
Q.2 Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III which is a three-stage vehicle, designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit was developed by ____________?
- Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO): ANSWER
- Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO)
- Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
- All of the above
Q.3 ISRO’s Lunar Exploration Chandrayaan began in 2007 with an agreement between India’s space agency ISRO & ___________?
- USA's Space Agency NASA
- European Space Agency (ESA)
- French Space Agency (CNES)
- Russian Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS): ANSWER
Q.4 Which of the following are the three countries that have successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon?
- Russia, France & USA
- Indian, USA & China
- Soviet Union, China & USA: ANSWER
- None of the above
Q.5 Recently, which of the following eminent rocket scientists has been appointed as the Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)?
- Somanath: ANSWER
- Sivan
- Satheesh Reddy
- None of the following
