Chandrayaan-3 was the third iteration of ISRO’s Chandrayaan programme. It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on July 14, 2023. Moreover, the mission was successful and it made India the fourth country to reach the south pole of the Moon. However, it is still surprising that ISRO is hoping to bring Chandrayaan-3 back to Earth. But now, the space authority is gearing up for Chandrayaan-4 and here’s all about it.
ISRO Is Preparing For Chandrayaan-4!
Regarding ISRO’s desire to bring Chandrayaan-3 back, experts believe that because of possible communication system problems, recalling the rover might be pointless. Furthermore, in a recent statement, they stated that they have already retrieved all the required data, thus they are all right if contact with the rover cannot be re-established.
Even though Chandrayaan-3 was unable to return to Earth, it is nevertheless regarded as a successful mission. The Chandrayaan-4 mission is the next big advancement in space exploration that ISRO is teasing. Experts believe that Chandrayaan-4 will return lunar samples to Earth in contrast to its predecessors.
In a recent speech to the Indian Tropical Meteorology Institute, Nilesh Desai, Director of the Space Applications Centre (SAC/ISRO), cited the Chandrayaan-4 mission as a significant milestone. It is anticipated that the mission will entail gathering samples from the lunar surface.
After reaching the moon, the spacecraft will land, gather samples, and then make a spacecraft connection with another module. The two modules will separate into two sections when they get closer to Earth: one will circle the planet, while the other will return to it. According to the director, they aim to face the task of bringing samples back from the moon in the next five to seven years, notwithstanding the ambitious nature of this mission.
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More Intricate Mission Than Its Predecessor
It is anticipated that Chandrayaan-4 will be more intricate than its predecessor. First off, Chandrayaan-4 intends to send a large 350-kilogram rover to the moon. The second goal of the mission is to execute a difficult landing on the moon’s rim, an area that has never been visited. In addition, the rover will cover a far greater area—1000 x 1000 metres—than Chandrayaan-3, which only covers 500 x 500 metres. It is anticipated that either GSLV or LVM3 rockets will be used in the mission, which has a launch date somewhere around 2028.
The ability of the mission to return lunar samples to Earth will decide its success. Two strong rockets are needed for this difficult procedure in order to return cargo with moon samples. The space agency has not yet confirmed if the trip is viable, though. Currently, ISRO and JAXA are working together on a lunar mission named “LuPEX,” which intends to investigate the moon’s darker side. This 350 kg mission will go up to 90 degrees across the lunar surface.
The mission’s goal is to gather samples and bring them back to Earth from the lunar south polar area. The location is thought to have significant water ice deposits. The mission entails delivering four modules to the moon throughout two launches.
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Subsequently, the remaining modules would be dispatched to enable the retrieval of gathered specimens to Earth.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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