India's Moon Exploration Program

[Indx TechStyle]

New photo released for deployed configuration.

Have a look at open lander gate & slant with rover standing at door.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

From a Tamil source using Google translate

சந்திரயான்-3 விண்கலம் ராக்கெட்டில் பொருத்தப்பட்டது: இஸ்ரோ தகவல் - Dinamalar Tamil News

பெங்களூரு: சந்திரயான்-3 விண்கலத்தின் அனைத்து பாகங்களும் எல்விஎம் ஏம்கே 3

m.dinamalar.com

Chandrayaan-3 fitted on rocket: ISRO information

All the components of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft were successfully fitted into the LVM MK3 rocket. Chandrayaan 3 is scheduled to be launched in July 2nd or 3rd week. This is what ISRO has said.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Chandrayaan-3 lander, rover to retain names of earlier moon mission
Chandrayaan-3 lander will bear the name ‘Vikram’ and rover ‘Pragyan.’ ISRO’s third moon mission set for launch in mid-July aboard the LVM3 rocket

An ISRO visualisation of the rover being deployed from the lander on the lunar surface

Names are something that India’s third moon exploration mission, slated for a mid-July launch as things stand, will share with the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 lunar adventure. Apart from the obvious ‘Chandrayaan,’ that is.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to retain the names of the Chandrayaan-2 lander and rover for their Chandrayaan-3 equivalents as well, Chairman of the space agency S. Somanath told The Hindu. This means, the Chandrayaan-3 lander will bear the name ‘Vikram’ (after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space programme) and the rover, ‘Pragyan’.

Much to its disappointment, the ISRO had lost the Chandrayaan-2 lander-rover configuration and the payloads aboard them after ‘Vikram’ crashed on the lunar surface while attempting a soft landing.

Earlier this month, Mr. Somanath had announced ISRO’s plans to launch the third moon mission in mid-July aboard the LVM3 (formerly GSLV Mk-III) rocket from Sriharikota.

A propulsion module will carry the lander-rover configuration to a 100-km lunar orbit. Once the ‘Vikram’ lander module makes it safely to the moon, it will deploy ‘Pragyan’ ‘‘which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility,’‘ according to the ISRO.

Scientific experiments

The lander, rover and the propulsion module will have payloads for performing experiments designed to give scientists new insights into the characteristics of earth’s lone natural satellite.

The lander will have four payloads — Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA), Chandra’s Surface Thermo physical Experiment (ChaSTE), Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) and the LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA). The six-wheeled rover will have two payloads — the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the LASER Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS).

In addition to these, there will be one payload on the propulsion module, the Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE).

 

[Indx TechStyle]

More images

 

[Indx TechStyle]

LVM3 M4/Chandryaan-3 now scheduled for 13 July 2023 02:30 PM.

 

[The Juggernaut]

O our God, Our great lord, Please make this mission success.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Next 12 days crucial for Isro, says chief Somanath

Thiruvananthapuram: The earth study equipment to be used in the Chandrayaan-3 mission would be useful in researching the existence of life on other planets, said Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chairman S Somanath here on Friday.

On the sidelines of the foundation stone laying ceremony of APJ Abdul Kalam Knowledge Centre and Space Museum at Kowdiar, the Isro chairman said that preparations for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, tentatively scheduled for July 13, are in the final stages. The launch of PSLV C56 would be carried out on July 23, he added.

He said that the most crucial task of Chandrayaan-3 would be to register the earth’s peculiarities from space and compare this data with other planets where scientists believe there is presence of life.

The Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload would be used for the study of earth from lunar orbit, he said.

The biggest challenge will be to ensure proper and safe placement of the lander and the rover on the moon surface. The next 12 days will be crucial for Isro, he said.

Several modifications and improvements have been made in the lander this time, compared to the last mission which had then crashed while landing. More sensors have been added and the quantity of the propellant fuel has been increased. Solar panels will cover more area when compared to the last mission.

Once launched, the lander will be ready for landing on August 23, he said. The foundation stone for the knowledge centre was laid by CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday.

 

[DumbPilot]

Next 12 days crucial for Isro, says chief Somanath

I read that they are using a laser doppler module akin to the Apollo LEM landing radar in function, which generated values of ground velocity and altitude against the INS:

What were they using in Chandrayaan-2? According to a news article I read, this laser doppler addition was specific to Chandrayaan-3.

 

[Vamsi]

I read that they are using a laser doppler module akin to the Apollo LEM landing radar in function, which generated values of ground velocity and altitude against the INS:

View attachment 212758


What were they using in Chandrayaan-2? According to a news article I read, this laser doppler addition was specific to Chandrayaan-3.

CY-2 didn't use it, because that sensor failed in tests

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Cross post from general thread @SKC + Video

LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission:

Today, at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, the encapsulated assembly containing Chandrayaan-3 is mated with LVM3.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Announcing the launch of Chandrayaan-3:

LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
The launch is now scheduled for
July 14, 2023, at 2:35 pm IST
from SDSC, Sriharikota

Stay tuned for the updates!

 

[Indx TechStyle]

More images uploaded on ISRO website

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Continued

 

[TopWatcher]

Continued
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How this movement happened. From integration point to launch pad. Doesnt heavy rocket disbalance??

 

[Tactical Doge]

How this movement happened. From integration point to launch pad. Doesnt heavy rocket disbalance??

there are clamps holding it in place

 

[Indx TechStyle]

How this movement happened. From integration point to launch pad. Doesnt heavy rocket disbalance??

What is the speed required to topple a mass of bloody 630 tonnes? And what is the maximum speed the vehicle can achieve when pulling a mass of 630 tonnes?

 

[TopWatcher]

Is rover autonomous or will drive by somebody from ISRO centre??

 

[SKC]

How this movement happened. From integration point to launch pad. Doesnt heavy rocket disbalance??

You need to check the speed at which these platform moves.

 

[TopWatcher]

Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM) and a Rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for Inter planetary missions. The Lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility. The Lander and the Rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface. The main function of PM is to carry the LM from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from PM. Apart from this, the Propulsion Module also has one scientific payload as a value addition which will be operated post separation of Lander Module. The launcher identified for Chandrayaan-3 is GSLV-Mk3 which will place the integrated module in an Elliptic Parking Orbit (EPO) of size ~170 x 36500 km.

Any idea which extra load ??

 

[Vamsi]

Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM) and a Rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for Inter planetary missions. The Lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility. The Lander and the Rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface. The main function of PM is to carry the LM from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from PM. Apart from this, the Propulsion Module also has one scientific payload as a value addition which will be operated post separation of Lander Module. The launcher identified for Chandrayaan-3 is GSLV-Mk3 which will place the integrated module in an Elliptic Parking Orbit (EPO) of size ~170 x 36500 km.

Any idea which extra load ??

SHAPE- Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth to do the spectro-polarmetric studies of Earth to get its bio-signature from lunar orbit....so that a future Exo-planet observatory can use this data to calibrate its payloads to detect possible bio-signatures of Exoplanets