India's Chandrayaan Journey

"Welcome to our latest edition of the?THE TRUTH OF INDIA?newsletter!

Today, we are going to deliver the detailed analysis of India's Chandrayaan Journey . So, sit back and enjoy the read !

India has finally landed on the moon and?became the only country in the world to land on the lunar south pole. India is now also the fourth country to land after the United States, Russia, and China. ??

Pursuing lunar exploration has been a roller coaster ride for space agencies worldwide, and India has firmly established its presence in this arena with the Chandrayaan missions.?

In this blog, we will understand everything you need to know about space missions, the significant achievements of Chandrayaan 1, the complexities faced by Chandrayaan 2, and the success of Chandrayaan 3 mission, all contributing to India's remarkable moon odyssey in the simplest form possible.

So, Let’s get started.

Chandrayaan 1: Beginning of India’s Space Journey

• The Chandrayaan?missions have propelled India's space program to the global stage and deepened our understanding of the Moon's mysteries.
• India's lunar journey began with the launch of Chandrayaan 1 on October 22, 2008—the mission aimed to map the Moon's surface in intricate detail and conduct mineralogical and chemical analyses.?

• India then made discoveries related to detecting water (H2O) and hydroxyl (OH) on the lunar surface. The data also revealed their enhanced abundance towards the polar region. It further found ice in the North polar region of the Moon.
• This revelation shattered long-held assumptions about the Moon's dry nature and opened new avenues for future exploration and potential human settlement.?

Chandrayaan 2: New Learnings and Aspirations

• Building upon the success of its predecessor, Chandrayaan 2 embarked on an even more ambitious journey.?

• Launched on July 22, 2019, it comprised an orbiter, a lander named Vikram, and a rover named Pragyan.?
• The primary objective was to achieve a soft landing near the Moon's south pole and conduct scientific investigations.?
• While the orbiter continued to thrive and deliver valuable data, Vikram's landing attempt faced unforeseen challenges. Technical complexities and system errors prevented a successful landing, leaving the lander and rover stranded on the lunar surface.

Why did Chandrayaan 2 fail ?

• Chandrayaan 2, a mission to explore the Moon's south pole with an orbiter, lander, and rover, was launched in July 2019 and partially failed. The lander Vikram and rover Pragyaan tragically crashed on the lunar surface on September 7 of the same year as a result of technical faults.
• Vikram was designed to slow down as it got closer to the Moon, but mistakes caused it to keep moving at a high speed, which caused it to crash.
• Despite this setback, the Orbiter was able to gather data, building on Chandrayaan 1's discovery of water and discovering water signs throughout latitudes.
• The crash resulted in missed opportunities. We missed the opportunity to demonstrate successful soft landing technology in space. According to ISRO scientists, the mishap was caused by a simple, correctable fault.

Chandrayaan 3: A Great Success for India

• After the Chandrayaan 3 landing, the plan is to deploy a rover on the moon and explore the lunar south pole.?
• Undeterred by the challenges of Chandrayaan 2, India geared up for Chandrayaan 3 and the successful landing became a?huge victory for our country.

• This mission was?designed to rectify its predecessor's mistakes, equipped with reinforced landing legs, updated software, and enhanced redundancy measures to ensure a smooth and controlled landing. Chandrayaan 3's mission life of one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days, allowed?it to maximize scientific observations.

Chandrayaan 3's Significance

• Chandrayaan 3 holds immense significance as it aims to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and showcases India's resilience and determination in space exploration.?
• The mission is poised to overcome the challenges faced by Chandrayaan 2 and establish India's credibility in precision lunar landings.?
• With advanced technology, improved landing mechanisms, and valuable lessons learned from previous missions, Chandrayaan 3 is expected to mark a successful step toward India's lunar exploration goals.

Challenges faced by Chandrayaan 3??

• It's critical to acknowledge how many obstacles Chandrayaan 3 had to overcome now that it has arrived. Due to the particular difficulties its environment presents, landing close to the lunar south pole has never been done before.

• Due to advantageous conditions, lunar landings have historically taken place near the equator. For ease of access and safety, even China's Chang'e 4, the first mission to land on the far side of the Moon, choose a position closer to the 45-degree latitude.
• Equatorial areas provide a friendly atmosphere with level topography, gentler temperatures, and ideal circumstances for instrument operation. These regions have fewer hills and craters, fewer steep slopes, and smoother ground. On the Earth-facing side, abundant sunlight serves as a reliable energy source.

Conclusion

According to the most recent information on space missions, Russia's Luna 25 failed to land on August 21 whereas India's Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down. Both missions were designed to touch down close to the South Pole of the Moon, a location never before visited by a spacecraft. The Chandrayaan missions represent India's dedication to technical advancement and interdisciplinary research.

This newsletter was written by?BIKRAM GORAI. If you liked this advice from this newsletter,?subscribe to it.