Chennai, August 22: As the ISRO team prepares for the long-anticipated soft landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the Moon’s surface, a potential delay might push the touchdown to August 27, contingent on the health status of the lander module, as confirmed by a high-ranking official.
Originally scheduled for August 23 at 06:04 pm IST, the soft landing endeavor was initiated with the Chandrayaan-3’s launch on July 14 at 2:35 pm from Sriharikota.
ISRO Space Applications Centre Director, Nilesh Desai, highlighted the focal point of their efforts – to decrease the spacecraft’s velocity above the lunar expanse. The lander’s descent from a height of 30km on August 23 is projected, during which its velocity is expected to be 1.68 km per second. Desai emphasized the necessity of reducing this speed, factoring in the Moon’s gravitational force.
Desai elaborated, “If we do not control that speed, there will be chances of a crash landing. If any health parameter of the lander module is found to be abnormal on August 23, then we will defer the landing to August 27.”
An update from ISRO earlier in the day asserted the mission’s adherence to its timeline, affirming that routine checks and operations are progressing smoothly.
Achieving a successful soft landing for Chandrayaan-3’s lander module on the lunar terrain would position India among the select group of nations – including the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China – that have accomplished this milestone of reaching the Moon’s surface.
