The Journey of India's Lunar Orbiter: Why 40 Days?

Introduction

In this blog, we will explore the journey of India's lunar orbiter, Chandrayaan 3, and the reasons behind its 40-day travel time to the Moon. We will compare this travel time to that of other lunar landings, such as China's Chang'e 2 and the Soviet Union's Luna 1. Additionally, we will discuss the importance of the Chandrayaan 3 lunar exploration mission and the budget constraints faced by the ISRO program.

While other missions reached the moon in just a few days, the Chandrayaan 3 mission took 40 days due to the less powerful rockets and the need to lower costs. With a budget of only 75 million dollars, the ISRO program had to utilize the gravitational pull of the Moon and Earth to reach its destination.

The Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft consists of an indigenous propulsion module, a Lander module, and a Rover. The launch vehicle, Mark III, is a three-stage medium-lift rocket that uses a staged combustion cycle and liquid-fueled engines. The rocket's functioning involves the ignition of boosters, the separation of stages, and the initiation of orbit-raising maneuvers.

Once the Chandrayaan 3 module reaches the moon, it will separate from the orbiter and perform a soft landing on the South Pole. The mission will operate for one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days before freezing temperatures and a lack of sunlight impact its equipment. However, the Russian Luna 25 mission is designed to withstand these harsh conditions using a radioisotope device to generate heat.

The Rocket's Journey

The Chandrayaan 3 lunar exploration mission took 40 days to reach the southern pole of the moon, unlike other lunar landings that completed the journey in just a few days. This extended travel time was due to the less powerful rockets used by the ISRO program and the need to lower costs. With a budget of only 75 million dollars, the ISRO program had to find alternative methods to reach its destination.

The launch vehicle for the Chandrayaan 3 mission is the Mark III (LVM-3), a three-stage medium-lift rocket. This rocket uses a staged combustion cycle and liquid-fueled engines. Its functioning involves the ignition of boosters, the separation of stages, and the initiation of orbit-raising maneuvers.

The Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft consists of three main components: an indigenous propulsion module, a Lander module, and a Rover. The indigenous propulsion module plays a crucial role in providing the necessary thrust to attain the intended orbit. The Lander module is responsible for performing a soft landing on the moon's surface, specifically the South Pole. The Rover, once deployed, will explore and conduct scientific experiments.

The step-by-step process for launching the rocket is as follows:

1. The rocket's functioning begins with the ignition of the boosters, which provide extra thrust during the initial launch phase.

2. Around 113 seconds into the flight, the Vikas engines ignite the core stage.

3. After approximately 134 seconds, the two solid propellant boosters burn out and separate from the core stage.

4. The payload fairing, housing the Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft, is detached at an altitude of 115 kilometers above the planet.

5. The Chandrayaan 3 integrated module separates from the launcher and opens its solar panels.

6. The module then commences orbit-raising maneuvers, shifting orientation towards the sun, and making several orbits around the Earth.

7. Using the slingshot technique, which utilizes the gravitational pull of the Earth and internal thrusters, the module achieves the Moon-to-Earth orbit path.

8. The module gets captured in the moon-earth orbit and uses thrusters to slow down.

9. After separation from the orbiter, the Lander module initiates de-boosting procedures and prepares for a soft landing.

10. Upon successful landing, the Lander opens its door and deploys the Rover to explore and conduct scientific experiments.

While the Chandrayaan 3 mission will operate for one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days, the Russian Luna 25 mission is designed to withstand the extreme conditions of the Moon's South Pole. Luna 25 utilizes a radioisotope device with plutonium to generate heat, allowing it to survive freezing temperatures and a lack of sunlight.

The Chandrayaan 3 mission showcases the innovative methods used by the ISRO program to achieve lunar exploration within tight budget constraints. By utilizing the slingshot technique and carefully planning each step of the rocket's journey, India's lunar orbiter successfully reached its destination, paving the way for further scientific discoveries and advancements in space exploration.

The Lunar Landing

The lunar landing process for India's Chandrayaan 3 mission was a complex and carefully planned operation. Here is an overview of the key steps involved:

1. The Rocket's Journey: The Chandrayaan 3 lunar exploration mission took 40 days to reach the Moon's southern pole, unlike other lunar landings that completed the journey in just a few days. This extended travel time was due to the less powerful rockets used by the ISRO program and the need to lower costs.

2. De-Boosting Procedures: Once the Chandrayaan 3 module reached the moon, it separated from the orbiter and initiated de-boosting procedures. These procedures involved a controlled descent to reduce the module's velocity and prepare for a soft landing on the lunar surface.

3. The Lunar Orbiter's Role: Before the Lander initiated the de-boosting procedures, the Lunar Orbiter played a crucial role in scanning the lunar surface for potential landing sites. This scanning process helped ensure a safe and successful landing for the Lander module.

4. Rover's Exploration: After a successful soft landing, the Lander module opened its door and deployed the Rover. The Rover's main objective was to explore and conduct scientific experiments on the lunar surface. This included collecting samples, analyzing the lunar soil, and studying the moon's geological features.

The Chandrayaan 3 mission showcased the innovative methods used by the ISRO program to achieve lunar exploration within tight budget constraints. By utilizing the slingshot technique and carefully planning each step of the rocket's journey, India's lunar orbiter successfully reached its destination, paving the way for further scientific discoveries and advancements in space exploration.

The Russian Luna 25

The Russian Luna 25 mission is an upcoming lunar exploration mission that aims to land on the South Pole of the Moon. This mission holds great significance, as landing on the South Pole of the Moon presents several unique advantages and challenges.

One of the main reasons for choosing the South Pole as the landing site is the presence of water. Scientists believe that there could be significant amounts of water ice in the permanently shadowed regions of the South Pole. Water is a valuable resource in outer space, as it can be used for drinking, growing plants, and producing fuel for future missions. By exploring and analyzing the water content at the South Pole, the Luna 25 mission can provide valuable insights into the availability of resources for future lunar missions.

However, landing on the South Pole also poses several survival challenges. The extreme cold temperatures on the moon's surface can reach as low as -280 degrees Fahrenheit (-173 degrees Celsius). This extreme cold can affect the performance of the lander's equipment and electronics. To overcome this challenge, the Luna 25 mission is equipped with a radioisotope device that uses plutonium to generate heat. This device will help the lander withstand the freezing temperatures and continue functioning during the lunar night when there is no sunlight to power the equipment.

The successful landing of the Luna 25 mission on the South Pole of the Moon will mark a significant achievement in lunar exploration. It will not only provide valuable data on the presence of water and resources on the Moon but also pave the way for future missions to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Chandrayaan 3 mission took 40 days to reach the southern pole of the moon due to the less powerful rockets used by the ISRO program and the need to lower costs. Despite this extended travel time, the mission successfully utilized the slingshot technique and carefully planned each step of the rocket's journey to reach its destination within a tight budget.

The Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft consists of an indigenous propulsion module, a Lander module, and a Rover, all of which play crucial roles in the mission's exploration and scientific experiments on the lunar surface.

While the Chandrayaan 3 mission will operate for one lunar day, the Russian Luna 25 mission holds potential for survival beyond that. Luna 25 is equipped with a radioisotope device that generates heat using plutonium, allowing it to withstand freezing temperatures and a lack of sunlight.