Chandrayaan-3 landing

Chandrayaan-3 · 2023 CE · The Moon

Land near the lunar south pole.

Historical context

India's third lunar mission aimed for the south polar highlands, a region of permanent shadow and possible water ice. It landed weeks after a rival attempt crashed nearby, underlining the difficulty of the terrain.

The voyage, step by step

1. Toward the south pole

   2023 CE

   Chandrayaan-3 manoeuvres into orbit for a landing in the polar highlands.

2. The lander separates

   17 August 2023

   On 17 August Vikram casts off the propulsion module and lowers itself onto a descent orbit.

3. Nineteen minutes of terror

   2023 CE

   The lander brakes from 1.68 km/s, turns upright, hovers to pick a clear patch and settles.

4. Landing near the south pole

   2023 CE

   Vikram lands safely and releases the Pragyan rover to study the soil.

5. A hundred metres of rover tracks

   2023 CE

   Pragyan rolls down a ramp, drives slowly around the lander and measures what the highland soil is made of.

Outcome

First soft landing near the south pole.

Chandrayaan-3

Indian mission that made the first soft landing near the Moon’s south pole.

Read on Wikipedia

Sources

• Chandrayaan-3 — Wikipedia

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