Bangalore, August 21: In order to pinpoint the Chandrayaan 3 mission’s landing location on the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released new images of the Vikram lander on Monday.
Two days before to the touchdown, the Vikram lander was assessing the landing location when images from the mission were published on Monday by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Two days before the landing, the ISRO posted pictures of the region on the moon’s far side taken by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC) on the microblogging platform X.
During the descent, “this camera helps in locating a safe landing area — without boulders or deep trenches,” the ISRO said.
Under the direction of ISRO, the camera was created at the Space Applications Centre (SAC).
In a recent briefing, Dr. K. Rajeev, Director of the Space Physics Laboratory, emphasised the critical importance of the next phases, especially the powered descent, navigation, and gradual fall to the lunar surface. He said, “That’s the most important stage.
In addition, Dr. Rajeev provided updates on the mission’s parts, pointing out the existence of a lander and a rover. The Alpha Particle Excite Spectrometer (APES) and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIPSE) are two important payloads that are now housed within the rover, which is attached to the lander.
These devices are designed to measure the surface’s elements, giving important details on lunar materials and minerals including magnesium, aluminium, iron, and more.
Four crucial payloads are operating inside the lander itself. Two are from the Sarabhai Space Center’s Space Physics Laboratory, one from URSC, and the fourth is a retroreflector that is mostly used for moon-to-earth ranging.
One of these payloads, a seismograph, will monitor seismic activity on the moon and provide crucial information about its geological processes.
Rambha LP (Lemur Pro), which focuses on physics, will investigate the plasma density in the lunar environment since it is crucial.
Additionally, the thermal conductivity of the lunar regolith, the top layer of the moon, is to be measured by ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment). For conceivable future space base development, this information is essential.
The Director of ISRO’s Internal System Unit (IISU), ES Padma Kumar, provided information on Chandrayaan 3’s pre-landing phase.
The spacecraft is presently in an orbit of around 110 by 25 kilometres, and it will then begin its fall, which is expected to take between 15 and 16 minutes. According to ISRO’s plan, the fall would start on Wednesday, said Kumar.
For a successful descent, Kumar emphasised the need of following this trajectory.
Scientists, space enthusiasts, and the general public are becoming more and more excited as ISRO approaches the lunar surface.
