Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing Highlights: India makes history as Vikram Lander breaks ground with Moon’s Lunar Surface

“The mission is on schedule. Systems are undergoing regular checks. Smooth sailing is continuing. The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) is buzzed with energy & excitement!” ISRO had said on Tuesday, also sharing visuals of the moon captured by cameras on the lander.

Mahant of Sri Mankameshwar temple Mahant Devaigya Puri performs 'puja' and 'havan' for the safe landing of Chandrayaan -3, in Lucknow, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (Image: PTI Photo)

The Indian government has called upon all universities and institutions of higher education, including prestigious establishments like IITs and IIMs, to arrange special gatherings for live-streaming the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon, reported PTI. In a letter addressed to the heads of these educational institutions, K Sanjay Murthy, the Secretary of Higher Education, expressed that the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a historic event that promises to ignite curiosity and inspire a passion for exploration among the youth. He emphasized that this momentous achievement will instill a deep sense of pride and unity as the nation collectively celebrates the remarkable capabilities of Indian science and technology.

Simultaneously, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has also issued a similar directive, urging educational institutions to hold special assemblies and live-stream the pivotal moments of Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar mission landing, set to take place on Wednesday.

The Lander possesses the capability to make a precise landing at a designated lunar site, where it will then release the Rover. The Rover is tasked with conducting on-site chemical analyses of the lunar surface as it traverses the terrain. Both the Lander and the Rover are equipped with scientific instruments designed to perform experiments on the lunar surface. Meanwhile, the primary role of the Propulsion Module (PM) was to transport the Lander Module (LM) from the launch vehicle's injection point to its eventual position in a 100 km circular polar orbit around the moon. Subsequently, it successfully separated the LM from the PM as planned.

The final stage of India's Moon Mission has begun. ISRO has uploaded the commands in Vikram Lander, and they are expected to be locked in by afternoon.

Final stage of India's moon mission has begun! ISRO has uploaded commands in Vikram lander. The commands will be locked in by afternoon.

Sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik has created sand art to wish good luck to The Indian Space Reasearch Organisation (ISRO) for successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3's Lander Module – Vikram lander and rover Pragyan – is scheduled to make a touchdown at 6.04 pm on Wednesday.

Another notable facet of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, aside from its primary objective of achieving a secure soft landing on the lunar surface, is the presence of the 'SHAPE' payload on the propulsion module. Known as Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth, SHAPE is an experimental payload aboard Chandrayaan-3, designed to investigate the spectro-polarimetric attributes of Earth within the near-infrared wavelength range, as outlined by ISRO.

The central aim of the SHAPE experiment is to characterize Earth's comprehensive spectrum and polarized signatures, observing them from varying phase angles while situated in the lunar orbit's advantageous position.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in South Africa to participate in the 15th BRICS Summit, will be virtually present to witness the momentous lunar landing attempt of India's third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3. As confirmed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Chandrayaan-3 is poised to make history by touching down on the previously unexplored south pole of the moon. The highly anticipated soft-landing is scheduled for 06:04 pm.

Earlier this month, Somanath at an event organised by a non-profit Disha Bharat discussed the possibility of a successful landing for Vikram in case certain things went wrong. He said that in case “everything fails”, including all the sensors, and “nothing works”, Vikram will still make a landing. “That’s how it has been designed — provided that the propulsion system works well. We have also made sure that if two of the engines (in Vikram) don’t work this time also, it will still be able to land,” he added.

Read More Here: What will happen to Vikram lander if ‘everything fails’? ISRO chief reveals it all

ISRO Chairman S Somanath has said that the most critical part of landing Chandrayaan-3 will be the process of reducing the velocity of the lander from 30 km height to the final landing, and the ability to reorient the spacecraft from horizontal to vertical direction.

Taking a significant step towards promoting scientific curiosity and inclusivity, both boys and girls studying in Madrasas across Uttar Pradesh will have the opportunity to witness the historic Chandrayaan-3 moon landing today. Danish Azad Ansari, the Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Muslim Waqf, and Haj, has directed the Director of the Minority Welfare Department to arrange live telecasts of this momentous event in all Madrasas throughout the state, reported ANI. In a clear demonstration of his commitment to not only educational but also scientific progress, Ansari aims to ensure that both students and teachers in these institutions become well-versed in this remarkable achievement within India's space exploration journey.

Sunita Williams, the esteemed Indian-American astronaut known for her outstanding achievements in space exploration, expressed her excitement on Tuesday for Chandrayaan-3 landing event. “Landing on the Moon will provide us with invaluable insights. I am truly thrilled that India is at the forefront of space exploration and the pursuit of sustainable living on the Moon. These are truly exciting times,” Williams said.

ISRO had on Monday announced that successful two-way communication had been established between the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter and the Lunar Module of Chandrayaan-3. In a post on ‘X’, the national space agency expressed excitement, stating, “‘Welcome, buddy!’ The Ch-2 orbiter formally greeted the Ch-3 LM. Effective two-way communication is now established between the two, expanding MOX’s pathways to connect with the LM.” The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) is situated at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC).

Read More Here: ‘Welcome, Buddy!’ ISRO announces successful two-way communication between Chandrayaan-3 and Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter

Tikri village in Firozabad is currently ablaze with pride and jubilation, all thanks to one of its own residents, Dharmendra Pratap Yadav, who stands as an accomplished scientist at ISRO. He's set to play a pivotal role in the forthcoming Chandrayaan 3 mission, reported ANI. Hailing from an agrarian background, Dharmendra has already earned acclaim for his contributions to the Mangalyaan project. Now, as a crucial member of the Chandrayaan 3 team, he shoulders the weighty responsibility of transmitting signals for this lunar expedition.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged citizens to stand together and cheer for its successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3. Taking it to her official social media handle, Banerjee lauded Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists for all their efforts and posted, “Chandrayaan-3 mission is a matter of pride for the entire nation!. The @isro team belongs to India. Their hard work is a testament of the country's progress which has come from the people, scientists and economists, and not any political entity.”

Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft, which was supposed to land on the south pole of the Moon, crashed disastrously, ending the tight space race with Chandrayaan-3. Although everything seems to be going in order for the Indian spacecraft, one question that has been bothering many is whether the crashed parts of Luna-25 on the Moon, affect the landing of Chandrayaan-3 in any way whatsoever. READ MORE

PM Modi is on an official visit to the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa. Hence, he will not be physically present for the landing of the spacecraft. However, he will be joining the programme virtually.

India will be the fourth country in the world to achieve this feat after the United States, Russia, and China, but India will be the only country in the world to land on the lunar south pole.

The live telecast of Chandrayaan-3 landing operations will begin at 5:20 PM IST on Wednesday. Live actions of landing will be available on the ISRO website, its YouTube channel, Facebook, and public broadcaster DD National TV from 5:27 PM IST today.

India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 holds immense potential for gathering critical data and will significantly contribute to the understanding of the Moon, a former top NASA official told ANI, while describing India, US space partnership further moving to the Moon.

ISRO's highly-anticipated third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, is poised for a historic touchdown on the lunar surface this Wednesday evening. India is on the verge of achieving a remarkable milestone, aiming to be the first nation to reach the uncharted southern pole of Earth's solitary natural satellite.

Hello and welcome to our live blog! As India is set to make history with the soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface, we at financialexpress.com will bring to you all the current happenings and updates related to the Indian spacecraft. Keep watching this space for live coverage!