Chandrayaan-3 soft landing planned at 5:37 pm on August 23

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The wait extends up to August 23 to see whether India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 meets the target set by ISRO or not. In six weeks’ time, the spacecraft will pass through turbulent air space which the scientists expect will be a real test for the mission.

The LVM 3 rocket will propel the Chandrayaan probe into an elliptical orbit positioned 170 km above the Earth's surface. From there, the probe will gradually lift itself into a stable orbit around the Earth. Following a six-day journey, it will venture into the moon's orbit reaching a distance of 100 km from the lunar surface. The crucial phase of the mission involves the lander's separation and its soft landing on the moon. The rover will come out and study the lunar soil. The successful execution of Chandrayaan 3 will secure India's place as the fourth nation to achieve a lunar landing.

Drawing valuable insights from the previous Chandrayaan 2 mission, several modifications have been incorporated into Chandrayaan 3. One such improvement involves reinforcing the legs of the lander to ensure a more stable landing. Instead of an independent orbiter, a propulsion module has been employed to bring the lander and rover closer to the moon. Upon touchdown, the rover will separate from the lander initiating its task of analyzing the moon's surface. Diverse instruments equipped on both the lander and rover will study the moon's gases and chemicals. Chandrayaan 3 will also set the course for India's future interplanetary missions.

ISRO chairman S Somanath said the soft landing on the moon is planned at 5:47 pm on August 23. If the landing is delayed, especially at night, the solar-charged electricity in the lander will turn kaput and no findings can be recorded from the moon. The landing should also be on a plain surface rather than any guttered space that is uneven.