What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task.

The question “What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the ‘Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre which contributed to the successful launch from Sriharikota." was asked in the Mains 2023 GS Paper 3. Let us look at the model answer to this question.

Answer: Chandrayaan-3 is India's ambitious lunar mission aimed at achieving a soft landing on the Moon's surface. This mission represents India's determined effort to showcase its proficiency in lunar exploration and demonstrate its capabilities in executing a precise soft landing on the lunar terrain. Like other countries (USA, China, and Russia) now India has also achieved the task of a successful soft landing on the Moon.

The main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission:

• To demonstrate India's capability to successfully execute a soft landing on the Moon: In Chandrayaan-2, the lander named Vikram was intended to make a soft landing on the Moon, but it encountered difficulties during its descent in September 2019 and ultimately crash-landed. As a result, the rover Pragyan, which was housed within Vikram, could not be deployed for surface exploration.
• Roving on the lunar surface especially at the moon’s south pole.
• To conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
• For developing and demonstrating new technologies required for Interplanetary missions.
  
  

The countries that have achieved this task are:

• United States: NASA's Apollo program conducted six successful manned lunar landings between 1969 and 1972 and conducted scientific experiments.
• Russia: The Soviet Union achieved several successful soft landings on the Moon using robotic spacecraft.
• China: China's Chang'e program has successfully achieved soft landings on the Moon with multiple missions.
  
  

The spacecraft carried following subsystem:

• Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA): To measure the near surface plasma (ions and electrons) density and its changes with time.
• Chandra’s Surface Thermo Physical Experiment (ChaSTE): To carry out the measurements of thermal properties of the lunar surface near the polar region.
• Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): To measure seismicity around the landing site and delineate the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.
• Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) Rover: It is a passive experiment to understand the dynamics of the Moon system.
• Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS): To determine the elemental composition (Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Fe) of Lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.
• Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Propulsion Module: Qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis & to derive the chemical Composition and infer mineralogical composition to further our understanding of Lunar-surface.
  
  

Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre contributed to the successful launch of Chandrayaan 3 in the following way:

• The facility allowed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to remotely carry out system checkouts on the launch vehicle prior to a mission.
• System check-outs, including those of the electronics, actuators, and commands, will be carried out from the VLCC to make sure that they are operating properly.
• The VSSC is ISRO’s lead unit for launch vehicles and is responsible for the design and development of the LVM3 (formerly GSLV Mk-III) launch vehicle.

The Chandrayaan-3 Mission's accomplishment is a testament to ISRO's talents and India's growth in space technology. The knowledge obtained from this mission will assist future launches, including Shukrayaan, Gaganyaan, and Aditya-L1. It will also bolster the confidence of Indian youth and space startups, helping India reach new heights in the Amrit Kaal in 2047.