On August 23, at 14:34 Central European Summer Time (CEST), the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module accomplished a successful landing on the Moon’s surface. Acknowledgement: ISRO
The Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module, operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has completed a successful landing on the lunar surface.
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Mission Chronology
The spacecraft was initiated from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in the Sriharikota Range (SDSC SHAR), India, on July 14, 2023. The mission aimed to introduce new technologies and secure India’s inaugural soft landing on another celestial entity.
Chandrayaan-3 entered the Moon’s orbit on August 5 and began the separation process from its propulsion module on August 17. Shortly thereafter, it initiated its descent towards the lunar surface.
After a tense period of anticipation, ISRO announced on August 23 that the lander module had successfully alighted in the Moon’s southern polar region, in line with the mission’s objectives.
A display during the ISRO’s live coverage of the landing showed telemetry data from the Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module just prior to its lunar touchdown. Acknowledgement: ISRO
“ISRO has earned our hearty congratulations on this monumental landing. The European Space Agency (ESA) is honored to contribute to the Chandrayaan-3 endeavor. Our ground facilities are integral to our collaborative efforts with international entities, and we are delighted that this venture has fortified the relationship between ESA and both ISRO and India. We eagerly anticipate further collaboration on groundbreaking missions like Aditya-L1,” stated Rolf Densing, Director of Operations at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany.
ESA’s Role in Communication Support
The European Space Agency (ESA) is offering essential deep space communication assistance for the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Effective communication is vital for all space missions. Earth-based ground stations maintain contact with spacecraft during their ventures into space. Without such ground station facilitation, acquiring any data from the spacecraft would be unfeasible.
For this specific mission, coordination from ground stations globally, led by ESA and NASA, will complement ISRO’s own communication systems. Acknowledgement: ESA
ESA is orchestrating routine support via its stations located in French Guiana’s Kourou and the United Kingdom’s Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd. This is in addition to contributions from NASA’s Deep Space Network and ISRO’s dedicated facilities.
An auxiliary 35-meter antenna from ESA in New Norcia, Australia, served as a backup during the lunar landing, concurrently receiving essential telemetry data along with ISRO’s primary ground station.
Deep Space Support: ESA’s Pledge
Various countries operate deep space monitoring stations that allow them to locate, oversee, and collect data from their far-flung spacecraft.
On occasion, especially during distant space missions, it is imperative to track or command a spacecraft beyond the field of view of their original antennas. ESA’s global ‘Estrack’ network, managed from its ESOC mission operations center in Darmstadt, Germany, enables this.
The Estrack network comprises ground stations operated by ESA, and includes third-party support coordinated by ESA, such as Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd.
The Road Ahead for Chandrayaan-3
On August 24, the lander module deployed its rover, which successfully traversed the lunar surface. Over its operational period, which will span one lunar day (equivalent to 14 Earth days), it will execute various scientific explorations.
ESA will persist in forwarding telemetry and scientific data collated by the mission’s rover and lander module until surface activities conclude.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing
What is the main focus of the article?
The main focus of the article is to report on the successful landing of India’s Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module on the Moon. It provides a comprehensive timeline of the mission, details the role played by the European Space Agency (ESA) in communication and tracking, and outlines future steps involving the rover and scientific experiments.
When did Chandrayaan-3 land on the Moon?
Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the Moon’s surface on August 23, 2023, at 14:34 Central European Summer Time (CEST).
Who operated the Chandrayaan-3 mission?
The Chandrayaan-3 mission was operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
What was the role of the European Space Agency (ESA) in this mission?
The European Space Agency provided essential deep space communication support for the mission. This included the coordination of ground stations around the world and serving as a backup for ISRO’s own tracking facilities.
Where did the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft launch from?
The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in the Sriharikota Range (SDSC SHAR), India, on July 14, 2023.
What are the next steps for the Chandrayaan-3 mission?
Following the successful landing, the Chandrayaan-3 mission deployed its rover on August 24, 2023. The rover is expected to operate for one lunar day (equivalent to 14 Earth days) and will carry out various scientific experiments on the Moon’s surface.
How will the data from the rover and lander be communicated back to Earth?
ESA will continue to relay telemetry and scientific data collected by the mission’s rover and lander module through its ground stations until the end of the surface operations.
Is this ISRO’s first mission to land on another celestial body?
No, this mission aimed to secure India’s inaugural soft landing on another celestial entity. Previous ISRO missions have been conducted but did not involve a soft landing.
More about Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- European Space Agency (ESA)
- Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR)
- Chandrayaan-3 Mission Overview
- ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC)
- NASA’s Deep Space Network
- Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd
- ESA’s Estrack Network
7 comments
This is a clear, well written article, Kudos! It answers almost every question I had in mind bout the mission.
Anybody else curious bout what scientific experiments the rover will be conductin on the Moon? Like, what’re they hopin to find?
I’m impressed by how many countries were involved in supportin this mission. Truly, space exploration is a global effort nowadays.
What an achievement for India! But let’s not forget the ESA’s role in making this a success. Teamwork really makes the dream work, eh?
Wow, ISRO really nailed it with Chandrayaan-3! This is huge for India and for space exploration in general. Cant wait to see what they discover up there.
Gotta say, India has come a long way in the space game. They’re not just participants anymore, they’re leaders. so proud!
A soft landing on another celestial body, thats a big deal for any country. This will surely put ISRO in the spotlight in the global space community.