Asia Press Agency

Tag: soft landing

  • Fawad Chaudhry Praises India’s Chandrayaan 3 Soft Landing

    Fawad Chaudhry Praises India’s Chandrayaan 3 Soft Landing

    Former Pakistani information and broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry took to X (formerly Twitter) to applaud India’s successful Chandrayaan 3 mission, which achieved a soft landing on the Moon. Chaudhry acknowledged the significance of the moment, highlighting the role of young scientists and their dreams in shaping the world’s future.

     

    Fawad Chaudhry wrote, “What a great moment for #ISRO as #Chandrayaan3 lands on the Moon, I can see lots of young scientists celebrating this moment with Mr. Somnath Chairman ISRO, only Younger generation with dreams can change the world… good luck.” The tweet is-

     

     

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists celebrated the achievement at their Bengaluru headquarters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his joy, calling it a moment to cherish forever. He emphasized that India is now on the Moon and referred to it as a new flight of new India.

     

    President Droupadi Murmu also congratulated ISRO and everyone involved in the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She termed it a momentous occasion and wished ISRO greater accomplishments in the future.

     

    The success of Chandrayaan 3 not only marks India’s significant achievement in lunar exploration but also underscores the power of human collaboration and determination. International space agencies and leaders praised India for this monumental accomplishment.

     

    NASA administrator Bill Nelson congratulated ISRO and India, highlighting the successful lunar south pole landing. He celebrated India becoming the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and acknowledged the partnership between NASA and ISRO.

     

    European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher was thoroughly impressed by India’s achievement, noting the demonstration of new technologies and India’s first soft landing on another celestial body.

     

    Chandrayaan 3’s successful soft landing comes after the Chandrayaan 2 landing attempt in 2019 had failed. The accomplishment reaffirms India’s position in space exploration and opens new opportunities for future lunar missions.

  • Chandrayaan 3: Russian Consul General Expresses Anticipation

    Chandrayaan 3: Russian Consul General Expresses Anticipation

    Oleg Nikolayevich Avdeev, the Russian Consul General to South India, has eagerly expressed his anticipation for India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. He believes that the upcoming mission will not only be a significant milestone for India but also a great success that will contribute to the country’s fruitful lunar exploration program.

     

    Russian Consul conveyed his enthusiasm, stating, “Everybody in India and also myself are all eagerly waiting for tomorrow’s event in the lunar orbit. I am sure that it will be a success for the Indian lunar program and the rover will land safely and start functioning…” He also expressed confidence in the mission’s success, mentioning that the Chandrayaan-3 mission will undoubtedly yield positive outcomes, leading to more exploration on the moon.

     

    After Russia’s Luna-25 mission encountered difficulties, attention has shifted to India’s Chandrayaan-3, which is poised to make a soft landing on the moon’s surface on August 23, 2023, at approximately 1804 IST.

     

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has confirmed that the Chandrayaan-3 mission is proceeding as scheduled, with regular checks being conducted on the systems. ISRO shared the positive status update, stating, “Smooth sailing is continuing. The Mission Operations Complex (at ISRO) is buzzed with energy and excitement!”

     

    The landing operations will be telecasted live, starting at 5:20 PM IST on Wednesday. Viewers can watch the broadcast on various platforms, including the ISRO website, YouTube channel, Facebook, and public broadcaster DD National TV, beginning from 5:27 PM IST on the same day.

     

    The Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched by ISRO on July 14 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This marks India’s third lunar mission, with its objectives encompassing a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, rover mobility on the moon, and in-situ scientific experiments. Notably, India will become the fourth country in the world, after the United States, Russia, and China, to achieve a soft landing on the moon. However, India will distinguish itself as the only nation to accomplish this feat on the lunar south pole.

  • Chandrayaan-3 Mission Reaches Crucial Milestone

    Chandrayaan-3 Mission Reaches Crucial Milestone

    The Chandrayaan-3 mission has marked a significant achievement as its Lander Module carrying the rover successfully separated from the Propulsion Module. This achievement brings the mission closer to its historic goal of achieving a soft landing on the lunar south pole, scheduled for 5.47 pm on Wednesday, August 23.

     

    Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 and holds the objectives of showcasing safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, rover mobility on the moon, and conducting in-situ scientific experiments.

     

    The mission carries added significance due to lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2, where ISRO’s lander ‘Vikram’ crashed during a soft landing attempt in 2019. According to ISRO Chairman S Somanath, the most critical aspect of the landing process involves transitioning the velocity of the lander from a horizontal to a vertical direction. This complex maneuver requires careful calculations and simulations to ensure a successful landing.

     

    Explaining the technical challenge, Somanath highlighted the need to shift the velocity of the lander from its horizontal orientation to a vertical one, which was a crucial point of failure in Chandrayaan-2. The Chandrayaan-3 mission addresses this challenge with improved calculations and simulations to ensure a successful landing.

     

    Unlike its predecessor, Chandrayaan-3’s Propulsion Module carries a significant payload named SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth). This experimental payload aims to study Earth from the lunar orbit, analyzing spectro-polarimetric signatures in the near-infrared wavelength range. This addition enhances the scientific objectives of the mission, adding a unique dimension to India’s lunar exploration efforts.

     

    The successful completion of Chandrayaan-3’s mission would signify a major achievement for India’s space agency, ISRO. If the mission accomplishes a safe and soft landing on the moon’s surface, India will join the ranks of the US, China, and the former Soviet Union as one of the few countries to master the complex technology of lunar surface soft landings.

     

    The Chandrayaan-3 mission highlights India’s determination to overcome challenges and build upon its space exploration capabilities. It showcases the nation’s commitment to advancing scientific knowledge through space missions and contributing to humanity’s understanding of the lunar environment.

  • Chandrayaan-3 Moves Closer to Moon’s Surface

    Chandrayaan-3 Moves Closer to Moon’s Surface

    The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2, is making significant progress as it moves closer to the Moon’s surface. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently reported that the spacecraft has undergone another orbit reduction maneuver, placing it at a distance of 1,437 kilometers at Apolune, the farthest point from the Moon.

     

    Having entered lunar orbit on August 5, Chandrayaan-3 is set to further lower its orbit to 100 kilometers by the next week, according to an official statement from ISRO. The organization has planned two more crucial orbit maneuvers on August 14 and 15, which will bring the spacecraft even closer to the Moon’s surface.

     

    Following these maneuvers, the landing module—consisting of the lander and rover—will separate from the propulsion module. The lander is expected to undergo a “deboost” process to slow down its descent and achieve a soft landing on the Moon’s south-polar region on August 23.

     

    ISRO has been steadily progressing with Chandrayaan-3’s mission objectives since its launch on July 14. The organization conducted a significant orbit maneuver on August 1 to position the spacecraft successfully into the Moon’s orbit.

     

    Upon landing on the lunar surface, the lander and rover housed within Chandrayaan-3 will carry out a series of experiments. The mission aims to demonstrate safe and precise landing capabilities, rover mobility on the Moon, and the execution of in-situ scientific experiments.

     

    Chandrayaan-3 has been designed to address the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2 and to enhance the capacity for safe landing and roving on the Moon’s surface. The lander, known as ‘Vikram,’ has been equipped to handle various scenarios, ensuring a successful touchdown even in the event of sensor or engine failures.

     

    The successful completion of Chandrayaan-3’s mission will mark another significant achievement for India’s space exploration efforts, demonstrating the country’s growing capabilities in lunar exploration and technological advancements in space science.

  • Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing Expected in a Week

    Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing Expected in a Week

    The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, India’s third lunar mission, has successfully covered two-thirds of its journey to the Moon and is scheduled to enter the lunar orbit on August 5, around 7 pm IST. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been closely monitoring the spacecraft’s progress since its launch on July 14 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

     

    In a crucial manoeuvre on August 1, the spacecraft was sent on a slingshot trajectory from Earth’s orbit towards the Moon. Following this trans-lunar injection, Chandrayaan-3 began its journey towards the vicinity of the Moon. On August 5, the Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) is set to take place when the spacecraft’s orbit will be closest to the Moon.

     

    Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed that the landing on the Moon is expected to happen “after a week or so.” ISRO aims to perform a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23, a significant milestone in the mission. ISRO has been diligently lifting the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into orbits farther away from Earth since its launch, ensuring a smooth and calculated journey. The health of the spacecraft has been reported as normal, indicating a positive status for the upcoming lunar mission.

     

    Looking ahead, ISRO has an exciting series of activities lined up for the next few months, including a GSLV launch scheduled for August or early September. The Gaganyaan project, one of ISRO’s ambitious missions, aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members into a 400-kilometer orbit for a three-day mission and safely bringing them back to Earth by landing in Indian sea waters.

     

    As the country eagerly waits for Chandrayaan-3’s success in reaching the Moon’s lunar orbit, the mission serves as a testament to India’s growing capabilities in space exploration. The lunar landing, when achieved, will be a significant milestone in India’s space endeavors and a moment of pride for the nation.