Chandrayaan-3

Why in News?

ISRO has invited proposals from India’s scientific community for analysis and utilisation of Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover data. The Announcement of Opportunity, open till October 21, 2025, aims to enhance scientific outcomes from India’s historic 2023 lunar south pole landing mission.

Description:

• Follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2.
• Aim: To demonstrate safe soft landing, rover mobility, and in-situ experiments on the lunar surface.
• Launch Vehicle: LVM3-M4 (from SDSC, Sriharikota).
• Configuration:
  • Propulsion Module (PM)
  • Lander Module (LM) with Rover

Objectives:

1. Demonstrate safe and soft landing on the Moon.
2. Demonstrate rover roving on the lunar surface.
3. Conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
4. Test and validate advanced landing technologies (hazard detection, altimetry, velocimetry, throttleable engines).

Key Payloads:

Lander (Vikram):

• ChaSTE – Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment → thermal conductivity & temperature.
• ILSA – Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity → seismicity around landing site.
• RAMBHA-LP – Langmuir Probe → near-surface plasma density & variations.
• LRA (NASA) – Laser Retroreflector Array → lunar laser ranging studies.

Rover (Pragyan):

• APXS – Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer → elemental composition (Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Fe).
• LIBS – Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope → qualitative & quantitative elemental analysis.

Propulsion Module:

• SHAPE – Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth → studying Earth’s spectral & polarimetric signatures for exoplanet habitability studies.

Specifications:

• Total Mass: ~3900 kg
  • PM: 2148 kg
  • LM: 1752 kg (includes 26 kg Rover)
• Mission Life: 1 Lunar day (~14 Earth days).
• Landing Site: 69.367621°S, 32.348126°E (near lunar south pole).
• Power:
  • PM: 758 W
  • LM: 738 W
  • Rover: 50 W
• Communication:
  • PM ↔ ISRO (IDSN)
  • LM ↔ ISRO + Rover + Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter (contingency)
  • Rover ↔ Lander

Advanced Technologies Demonstrated:

• Throttleable Engines – 800 N + 58 N thrusters.
• Laser/RF Altimeters, Doppler Velocimeter, Hazard Detection Camera.
• Landing Leg Mechanism – withstand lunar touchdown.
• Special Earth Tests – Integrated Cold/Hot tests, Lander leg test on simulant surface.

Significance:

• Strengthens India’s lunar exploration capability.
• Prepares for future interplanetary missions.
• Enhances global standing in space technology and planetary science.
• Contributes to South Pole exploration (crucial for water ice studies).

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