Chandrayaan 3: India's Ambitious Space Mission

India's space program has made tremendous strides in the past few decades. From launching satellites to sending probes to Mars and the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved several milestones. However, one ambitious mission that did not go as planned was Chandrayaan 2 in 2019. The lander Vikram crash landed on the lunar surface, failing to make a soft touchdown. But ISRO is not one to give up easily. They have already begun work on Chandrayaan 3, which will aim to complete the objectives of Chandrayaan 2.

Chandrayaan 3 Overview

Chandrayaan 3 will be quite similar to Chandrayaan 2 in design. It will consist of an orbiter, lander and rover configuration. The mission's primary aim is to demonstrate ISRO's capability to make a soft lunar landing and deploy a rover. The lander will attempt to touch down near the lunar south pole. This region contains craters with shadows that are permanently dark. They have been untouched by sunlight for billions of years and could contain signatures of the moon's origin and evolution. The rover will study and analyze the lunar surface and send back data.

The configuration of Chandrayaan 3 will be almost identical to Chandrayaan 2. The orbiter from Chandrayaan 2 is already functioning in lunar orbit. ISRO has decided to reuse this orbiter for the next mission. The Vikram lander from Chandrayaan 2 crashed, so a new lander will be built. The rover design will also see some changes. Overall, the mission profile and objectives remain the same.

Mission Objectives

The key scientific objectives of Chandrayaan 3 are:

- Demonstrate the ability to soft-land on the lunar surface. Previous mission Chandrayaan 2 had failed in its landing attempt. 

- Deploy a rover to study lunar surface features, molecular composition, elements present, and signatures of water-ice.

- Map the lunar surface and study imagery from the orbiter.

- Gather data on lunar quakes and measure moon's seismic activity. 

- Analyze surface features and gather insights into Moon's origin and evolution.

The technology demonstration of soft landing on another celestial body is a major milestone for any space agency. If Chandrayaan 3 succeeds in this, it will be a huge accomplishment for ISRO. The data from the orbiter and rover will greatly expand our understanding of the Earth's natural satellite.

Lander and Rover Details 

The lander will be similar to the one used in Chandrayaan 2 but with design improvements. Changes have been made based on the failure analysis of the previous crash landing. The onboard computers, navigation sensors, actuators, and algorithms have been updated. New redundancy systems have been added to provide backup. The landing leg design has also been modified to ensure a stable touchdown. 

The ramp-down time from detection of surface to actual landing will be reduced from 15 minutes to 13 minutes. This will help accuracy. The lander will attempt a soft vertical touchdown at a designated landing site. 

The rover will have a mass between 50-60 kg and move on 6 wheels. It will have instruments to assess lunar geology and regolith properties. The mission life expectancy of the rover is 1 lunar day, which is equal to 14 Earth days. It will derive power from a solar array.  

Launch and Timeframe

Chandrayaan 3 is likely to be launched in mid 2023, but the timeline is fluid. The mission has to meet several parameters related to optimal orbits, trajectories, and windows of opportunity. 

The launch vehicle will be India's GSLV Mark III, similar to Chandrayaan 2. The orbiter, lander and rover will be assembled and move to the launch pad a few weeks before launch. If the 2023 window is missed, the next launch opportunities will come in 2024.

Challenges Ahead

While Chandrayaan 3 is largely replicating Chandrayaan 2, it still faces multiple hurdles:

- Execute a flawless launch and achieve lunar orbit insertion of the orbiter and lander module.

- Precisely guide the lander from orbit to the planned landing site on the Moon. 

- Control the descent and activate the landing sequence, avoiding any failures.

- Manage the rover's exploration mission for the planned duration.

- Conduct scientific studies and transmit large volumes of data back to Earth.

- Cope with rugged lunar terrain, low gravity, temperature extremes, solar radiation, etc. 

- Achieve mission success within tight deadlines and budget constraints.

Overcoming so many complex challenges will validate ISRO's technological capabilities. A successful Chandrayaan 3 will bring India into an exclusive club of nations who have mastered soft lunar landing. It will pave the path for more ambitious interplanetary exploration by ISRO in the future.

Conclusion

Chandrayaan 3 is an important next step for India's space program after the disappointment of Chandrayaan 2. ISRO deserves praise for boldly moving forward with another challenging attempt. The mission will pursue cutting-edge science and make breakthrough engineering demonstrations. It highlights India's commitment to space exploration alongside economic and social progress. If accomplished, Chandrayaan 3 will propel further missions to Mars, Venus and other destinations. It may even lay the foundation for a crewed lunar mission by India. Despite past setbacks, ISRO soldiers on to conquer new frontiers in space technology and research.