CHANDRAYAAN 3

CHANDRAYAAN 3

Subject : Science & tech

Context : The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) plans to launch its third mission to the Moon next year, the government said on Wednesday.

Concept :

Chandrayaan 3 Mission

• ISRO has announced Chandrayaan-3, a soft-landing mission, after the failure of Vikram Lander under Chandrayaan 2.
• Its moon Lander will be the first to land in southern hemisphere of moon surface.
• While the Orbiter of Chandrayaan 2 is in the lunar orbit, the Lander and Rover failed after the lander crash-landed on lunar surface.
• ISRO is planning to land the Chandrayaan 3 lander at the same location as the Chandrayaan 2 – the lunar South Pole, which is a singularly promising part of the moon’s surface.
• It will be a mission repeat of Chandrayaan-2 but will only include a lander and rover similar to that of Chandrayaan-2.
• Unlike its predecessor, Chandrayaan-3 will not have an orbiter.
• The lander for Chandrayaan-3 will have only four throttle-able engines unlike Vikram on Chandrayaan-2 which had five 800 N engines with a fifth one being centrally mounted and with fixed thrust.
• The Chandrayaan-3 lander will also be equipped with a Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV).