ISRO plans to launch Chandrayaan 3 by june 2023; to send Indian astronauts by 2024

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to launch Chandrayaan-3, the third mission to the moon, in June 2023. ISRO Chairman S. Somnath interacted with the media at an event in Delhi and said C-3 is ready now. He also stated that ISRO also plans to fly Indian astronauts into orbit by the end of 2024 after carrying out successful abort missions and uncrewed test flights.

ISRO has developed Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) more robustly so that it does not have any issues. He added the space agency has also lined up the first test flight of the 'abort mission for Gaganyaan in early 2023, the country's first human spaceflight. 

.@isro to launch #Chandrayaan3, its third mission to the moon, in June next year with more robust lunar rover onboard that is crucial for future inter-planetary explorations.

File Photo: pic.twitter.com/z7qR5CaUHF

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) October 21, 2022

Chandrayaan-3 : key details

1. Chandrayaan-3 is a planned third lunar exploration mission by the ISRO(Indian Space Research Organization).
2. The mission will be a repeat mission of Chandrayaan-2 and will consist of a lander and rover similar to Chandrayaan-2. 
3. Chandrayaan-3 will not have an orbiter but its propulsion will act like a communications relay satellite. The satellite is planned to be launched in June 2023.
4. The legs to hold the body of the spacecraft while landing is designed to be more rugged and different improved sensors and algorithms have been used to identify places to land successfully.
5. The sensors are developed to descend safely and improved instrumentation that would have more resilient backup systems. 

Chandrayaan-2: Failure

1. The spacecraft failed mainly due to a last-minute glitch in the soft landing guidance software after a successful orbital insertion, another lunar mission describing a soft landing was introduced.
2. Chandrayaan-2 was sent aboard the country’s most powerful geosynchronous launch vehicle, the GSLV-Mk 3. 
3. The lander Vikram, instead of a controlled landing, ended up crash-landing on September 7, 2019, and prevented rover Pragyaan from successfully traveling on the surface of the moon. 
4. If the mission had been successful, it would have been the first time a country landed its rover on the moon in its maiden attempt.

Background

Chandrayaan 3 will be made at a cost of Rs 250 crore while Chandrayaan 2 was developed at a cost of Rs 978 crore. The orbiter for Chandrayaan 3 will be functional only mandating a lander and a rover for the organization’s second try at a soft lunar landing.

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