Chandrayaan-3 Mission Updates Live: The ISRO endeavor stands poised to etch history by achieving the inaugural lunar landing at the southern pole. A successful outcome would position India as only the fourth nation to achieve a gentle touch down on the Moon.
A visual representation captures Chandrayaan-3’s presence on the lunar terrain, adorned with ISRO’s emblem and the mission’s appellation. Artist’s rendition of Chandrayaan-2 on the lunar expanse. (Image: ISRO via Twitter)
Live Updates on Chandrayaan-3’s Moon Landing: Following a 40-day expedition originating from the Sathish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission is presently gearing up for lunar descent. In the event of favorable circumstances, the Vikram lander is scheduled to execute a soft lunar touchdown at 6.04 PM IST on August 23. A real-time broadcast of the landing can be observed below.
ISRO’s strategy entails activating the mission’s automated landing sequence at 5.44 PM IST. From this juncture onward, the Vikram lander will leverage its embedded computing and algorithms to endeavor a gentle lunar landing. While overseen intently by mission controllers at ISTRAC, the onboard systems of the lander will bear the brunt of the operation.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission represents a continuum of the 2019 Chandrayaan-2 mission, which unfortunately witnessed the Vikram lander encountering lunar surface mishaps. The mission’s chief objective is straightforward—to showcase the space agency’s prowess in achieving a smooth lunar touch down. A triumphant mission would grant India entry into an exclusive coterie comprising the United States, the Soviet Union, and China, nations that have thus far attained the distinction of a soft lunar landing.