Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar exploration mission undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission was launched on July 14, 2023, and successfully landed on the moon’s south pole on 23 August 2023. In this blog, we embark on a voyage of discovery to unravel the captivating story of Chandrayaan-3, simplifying complex concepts and shedding light on the questions that have been on our minds.
This blog post will answer these questions and more. We will also discuss the significance of the Chandrayaan-3 mission and its potential to make significant contributions to our understanding of the moon.
Questions About Chandrayaan-3
1. What are the main components of Chandrayaan-3’s spacecraft design?
Answer: The main components of Chandrayaan-3’s spacecraft design are the propulsion module, lander, and rover.
2. How does the propulsion module in Chandrayaan-3 contribute to the mission?
Answer: The propulsion module in Chandrayaan-3 carries the lander and rover setup to a lunar orbit about 100 kilometers from the Moon’s surface. It plays a crucial role in getting the lander and rover to the right location for landing.
3. What were the improvements made to the Chandrayaan-3 lander design compared to Chandrayaan-2’s lander?
Answer: The Chandrayaan-3 lander design includes several improvements compared to Chandrayaan-2. It has four throttle-able engines with thrust valve slew rate changing capabilities, which helps in controlling attitude and thrust during descent. This addresses one of the main reasons for Chandrayaan-2’s failure. The attitude correction range is also increased to prevent issues during landing attempts.
4. What is the purpose of the rover in Chandrayaan-3 and what scientific discoveries is it expected to make?
Answer: The rover in Chandrayaan-3 has six wheels, weighs 26 kilograms, and can travel up to 500 meters. It’s designed to analyze the Moon’s composition, look for water ice, study the history of lunar impacts, and investigate changes in the Moon’s atmosphere over time.
5. Can you explain the key objectives of Chandrayaan-3’s mission?
Answer: The key objectives of Chandrayaan-3’s mission are to achieve a safe landing on the Moon, demonstrate the rover’s capabilities, and conduct on-site analysis of lunar surface materials to better understand the Moon’s composition.
6. How did Chandrayaan-3’s lander address the issues that led to Chandrayaan-2’s landing failure?
Answer: Chandrayaan-3’s lander improved upon the design of Chandrayaan-2’s lander by allowing the lander to control attitude and thrust in all phases of descent. This addresses issues that led to Chandrayaan-2’s failure during landing attempts.
7. What are the payloads carried by the lander and rover in Chandrayaan-3, and what are their respective functions?
Answer: The lander carries payloads like Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure lunar surface temperature, Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) to study seismic activity, and the Langmuir Probe (LP) to measure plasma density variations. The rover’s payloads include Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) to analyze chemical composition, and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) to determine elements in soil and rocks.
8. How did ISRO plan to fund Chandrayaan-3, and what was the estimated cost of the project?
Answer: ISRO requested ₹75 crore as initial funding for Chandrayaan-3 to kickstart the project. Out of this, ₹60 crore was for machinery, equipment, and capital expenditure, while ₹15 crore was for regular expenses. The estimated cost of the entire project, as stated by ISRO’s former chairman, was around ₹615 crore.
9. Who confirmed the existence of the Chandrayaan-3 project, and what was the estimated cost of the mission as stated by ISRO’s former chairman?
Answer: The former chairman of ISRO, K. Sivan, confirmed the existence of the Chandrayaan-3 project. He estimated the cost to be around ₹615 crore (equivalent to ₹721 crore or US$90 million in 2023).
10. What is the significance of Chandrayaan-3’s mission in the context of India’s lunar exploration efforts?
Answer: Chandrayaan-3’s mission is significant as it aims to continue India’s lunar exploration efforts and improve on the experiences and lessons learned from previous missions. It’s a step towards expanding our understanding of the Moon and space.
11. How does Chandrayaan-3 plan to study the composition of the lunar surface and the presence of water ice?
Answer: Chandrayaan-3 plans to study the composition of the lunar surface by using instruments like Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). These instruments help in identifying elements and minerals present on the Moon.
12. How does the collaboration with the European Space Tracking support Chandrayaan-3 and other future ISRO missions?
Answer: The collaboration with the European Space Tracking (ESTRACK) supports Chandrayaan-3 by providing tracking assistance. This arrangement is a two-way cooperation, where ISRO’s missions receive tracking support from ESA’s tracking stations, and vice versa.
13. What kind of improvements were made in Chandrayaan-3’s design and systems to ensure a successful landing attempt?
Answer: Chandrayaan-3’s design improvements include better control of attitude and thrust during descent, increased attitude correction range, and stronger impact legs. The lander’s structure, polling in instruments, data transmission, and contingency systems were also improved.
14. What scientific insights is Chandrayaan-3 expected to provide regarding the Moon’s history, atmosphere changes, and impact events?
Answer: Chandrayaan-3 is expected to provide insights into the Moon’s history, atmosphere changes, and impact events through the analysis of lunar surface composition, detection of water ice, and the study of lunar seismic activity.
Also read: Information About Chandrayaan-3
