Editor's Pick: India’s third lunar odyssey begins with perfect launch

India’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, was successfully launched onboard a Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.35 p.m. on Friday. This is India’s second attempt at soft-landing robotic instruments on the lunar surface after the previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2, failed in 2019. Thus far, only three countries, the U.S., Russia and China, have successfully soft-landed on the moon. Speaking to reporters after the launch, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said the next 42 days are crucial. “The landing is currently planned on August 23 at 5.47 p.m. IST, if everything goes as per plan,” he said. Hailing the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian... This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!” Minister of State Jitendra Singh, who was present at the launch, said, “It is indeed a moment of glory for India. Thank you Team ISRO for making India proud... Today is also a day of vindication: vindication of the dream Vikram Sarabhai [had] six decades ago.” Around 16 minutes after the LVM-3 lifted off, the spacecraft separated from the rocket. It was an integrated module comprising the propulsion module, the lander module, and the rover. It entered an elliptic parking orbit (EPO). The EPO’s closest approach to earth was around 170 km and farthest, at 36,500 km. The propulsion module will carry the lander (containing the rover) from the EPO around earth to a circular orbit around the moon, at an altitude of 100 km. This module also carries an instrument called ‘Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth’ (SHAPE), to study spectral emissions coming from earth. According to ISRO, the lander can soft-land at a specified lunar site and deploy the rover. The rover will perform in-situ chemical studies of the lunar surface as it moves around. The lander also has scientific instruments to study the lunar surface and subsurface. The propulsion module will execute a series of manoeuvres over the next month to sling itself towards the moon and be caught there by the moon’s gravity. Once it has been captured into a lunar orbit, the lander will detach itself and attempt to soft-land on the moon’s surface. The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s objective is to develop and demonstrate new technologies required for inter-planetary missions. With a human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark (LVM) to be used for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, the LVM-3’s successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 gained significance, as it has further enhanced the reliability of the launch vehicle. Following the launch, LVM project director Mohan Kumar said that the rocket used for the Chandrayaan-3 mission used multiple systems that were rated for humans. “The human-rated S200 [solid strap-on motors] that were used earlier were again used, and the L110 Vikas engine has also completely become human-rated today,” he said. ISRO’s Gaganyaan project is expected to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability by launching three astronauts to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission, and then bringing them safely back to earth, landing them in Indian seas. The Hindu’s Editorials Roiling resurgence: On the Consumer Price Index data Problematic resolution: On the EU Parliament and Manipur The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz How many years ago was the Nationalist Congress Party founded? 18 54 24 38 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 15 July 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( India’s third lunar odyssey begins with perfect launch India’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, [was successfully launched]( onboard a Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.35 p.m. on Friday. This is India’s second attempt at soft-landing robotic instruments on the lunar surface after the previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2, failed in 2019. Thus far, only three countries, the U.S., Russia and China, have successfully soft-landed on the moon. Speaking to reporters after the launch, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said the next 42 days are crucial. “The landing is currently planned on August 23 at 5.47 p.m. IST, if everything goes as per plan,” he said. Hailing the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India’s space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian... This momentous achievement is a testament to our scientists’ relentless dedication. I salute their spirit and ingenuity!” Minister of State Jitendra Singh, who was present at the launch, said, “It is indeed a moment of glory for India. Thank you Team ISRO for making India proud... Today is also a day of vindication: vindication of the dream Vikram Sarabhai [had] six decades ago.” Around 16 minutes after the LVM-3 lifted off, the spacecraft separated from the rocket. It was an integrated module comprising the propulsion module, the lander module, and the rover. It entered an elliptic parking orbit (EPO). The EPO’s closest approach to earth was around 170 km and farthest, at 36,500 km. The propulsion module will carry the lander (containing the rover) from the EPO around earth to a circular orbit around the moon, at an altitude of 100 km. This module also carries an instrument called ‘Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth’ (SHAPE), to study spectral emissions coming from earth. According to ISRO, the lander can soft-land at a specified lunar site and deploy the rover. The rover will perform in-situ chemical studies of the lunar surface as it moves around. The lander also has scientific instruments to study the lunar surface and subsurface. The propulsion module will execute a series of manoeuvres over the next month to sling itself towards the moon and be caught there by the moon’s gravity. Once it has been captured into a lunar orbit, the lander will detach itself and attempt to soft-land on the moon’s surface. The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s objective is to develop and demonstrate new technologies required for inter-planetary missions. With a human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark (LVM) to be used for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, the LVM-3’s successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 gained significance, as it has further [enhanced the reliability of the launch vehicle](. Following the launch, LVM project director Mohan Kumar said that the rocket used for the Chandrayaan-3 mission used multiple systems that were rated for humans. “The human-rated S200 [solid strap-on motors] that were used earlier were again used, and the L110 Vikas engine has also completely become human-rated today,” he said. ISRO’s Gaganyaan project is expected to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability by launching three astronauts to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission, and then bringing them safely back to earth, landing them in Indian seas. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Roiling resurgence: On the Consumer Price Index data]( [Arrow][Problematic resolution: On the EU Parliament and Manipur]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz How many years ago was the Nationalist Congress Party founded? - 18 - 54 - 24 - 38 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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