Chandrayaan 3 was India’s third lunar mission, launched on 14 July 2023 at 09:05 UTC from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India. The mission successfully landed on the lunar south pole on 23 August 2023 at 6:04 PM IST.
The mission’s objectives were to:
- Demonstrate safe and soft lunar landing
- Rover mobility
- In-situ scientific experiments
The mission consisted of three main components:
- The orbiter: The orbiter was responsible for carrying the lander and rover to the Moon and for providing communications and navigation support.
- The lander: The lander was responsible for delivering the rover to the lunar surface and for providing power and life support for the rover.
- The rover: The rover was responsible for exploring the lunar surface and conducting scientific experiments.
The orbiter entered lunar orbit on 20 July 2023. The lander and rover were separated from the orbiter on 21 August 2023. The lander successfully landed on the lunar surface on 23 August 2023.
The rover, named Pragyan, began exploring the lunar surface on 24 August 2023. The rover is equipped with a variety of instruments, including a camera, a spectrometer, and a drill. The rover is expected to explore the lunar surface for up to one year.
Chandrayaan 3 was a successful mission that made history by becoming the first mission to soft-land on the lunar south pole. The mission is expected to provide valuable insights into the lunar south pole, which is a region that has never been explored before.