Chandrayaan-3 landing date and time unveiled: Here’s what you need to know

India’s eagerly awaited Chandrayaan-3 mission is poised to achieve a historic lunar touchdown. Now, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has officially declared that the spacecraft is scheduled to make its soft landing on the Moon’s south pole. Chandrayaan-3 landing date and time is August 23, 2023, at approximately 18:04 IST.

India’s Moon Landing Aspirations

This significant endeavor by ISRO aims to cement India’s position as the fourth nation to successfully achieve a soft lunar landing, following the footsteps of the United States, Russia, and China.

“Mark your calendars for August 23, 2023, at 18:04 Hrs. IST. Let’s share the excitement and positivity as we journey towards this monumental moment,” announced ISRO on X.

To offer an immersive experience, live coverage of the event will be accessible on ISRO’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook page, and the national broadcaster DD National TV, starting from 17:27 IST on August 23.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission has already accomplished a crucial step, as the ‘Vikram’ lander module successfully separated from the propulsion module. This was followed by essential deboosting maneuvers, guiding the lander to a slightly lower orbit in preparation for its lunar descent.

Vikram Sarabhai’s Legacy

Named after Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary father of the Indian space program, the Chandrayaan-3 mission utilized a GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle to place the spacecraft into lunar orbit on August 5. Since then, a series of orbital adjustments have progressively lowered its position closer to the Moon’s surface.

Having commenced its development phase in January 2020, the Chandrayaan-3 mission encountered unforeseen delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, pushing its launch from 2021 to its current date.

Chandrayaan-3’s objectives encompass a safe and soft landing, deployment of a rover for surface exploration, and conducting in-situ scientific experiments. The mission is budgeted at ₹250 crores, excluding launch vehicle costs.

Learning from Chandrayaan-2

This mission is ISRO’s strategic response following the challenges faced by the Chandrayaan-2 mission during its 2019 soft landing attempt, which ultimately fell short of its primary objectives. The Chandrayaan-2 mission yielded valuable scientific insights, including the first global map of lunar sodium distribution and the detection of lunar surface water ice using the IIRS instrument.

As the countdown to Chandrayaan-3’s lunar landing continues, ISRO Chairman S Somanath has expressed his confidence in the mission’s progress, emphasizing that all systems are functioning as planned. The successful outcome of this mission promises to unlock a trove of knowledge about the Moon’s history, its implications for life on Earth, and the expansion of humanity’s exploration into the broader solar system and beyond.