India's Space Programme: Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan Explained

ISRO and Space Exploration

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is India's national space agency. Established in 1969, ISRO is headquartered in Bengaluru. It is responsible for developing space technology and its application to various national tasks. ISRO has launched numerous satellites for communication, remote sensing, and navigation. Its achievements include developing indigenous launch vehicles like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). These vehicles have been crucial for launching India's ambitious planetary missions.

ISRO's vision is to harness space technology for national development while pursuing planetary exploration and space science research. India's space program is known for its cost-effectiveness and innovative engineering solutions. The success of missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan has placed India among the leading spacefaring nations. These missions demonstrate India's ability to undertake complex interplanetary journeys independently.

Chandrayaan Mission Overview

Chandrayaan, meaning 'Moon-craft' in Sanskrit, is a series of lunar exploration missions by ISRO. The first mission, Chandrayaan-1, was launched on October 22, 2008, using a PSLV-XL rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. It successfully orbited the Moon and deployed the Moon Impact Probe (MIP). The MIP made a controlled impact near the lunar South Pole on November 14, 2008, making India the fourth country to place its flag on the Moon.

Chandrayaan-1's major discovery was the detection of water molecules on the lunar surface, a finding confirmed by NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument aboard the spacecraft. This discovery had significant implications for future lunar exploration. The mission operated for 312 days, exceeding its planned two-year lifespan before communication was lost on August 29, 2009. It provided valuable data on lunar topography, mineralogy, and the exosphere.

Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-2 was India's second lunar exploration mission, launched on July 22, 2019, aboard a GSLV Mk III rocket. It aimed to achieve a soft landing on the lunar South Pole with a lander (Vikram) and a rover (Pragyan). While the orbiter successfully entered lunar orbit and continues to provide data, the lander unfortunately hard-landed on September 7, 2019, due to a software glitch, losing contact just 2.1 km above the lunar surface. Despite the lander's failure, the orbiter component of Chandrayaan-2 has been highly successful, providing high-resolution images and scientific data.

Building on the lessons from Chandrayaan-2, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-3 on July 14, 2023, using an LVM3-M4 rocket. This mission aimed for a successful soft landing and lunar surface exploration. Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed near the lunar South Pole on August 23, 2023, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and the first to land near the South Pole. The lander, Vikram, and rover, Pragyan, operated for one lunar day (about 14 Earth days), conducting in-situ scientific experiments and sending back valuable data.

Mangalyaan: Mars Orbiter Mission

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also known as Mangalyaan, was India's first interplanetary mission. It was launched on November 5, 2013, using a PSLV-XL C25 rocket. The primary objective was to demonstrate India's capability to design, realize, and launch an interplanetary mission to Mars. It also aimed to explore the Martian surface features, morphology, mineralogy, and the Martian atmosphere using five scientific instruments.

Mangalyaan successfully entered Mars orbit on September 24, 2014, making India the first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit and the fourth space agency globally to do so. India also became the first country to achieve this feat on its maiden attempt. The mission was initially planned for six months but continued to operate for over eight years, providing valuable data and images of Mars. Its success highlighted ISRO's expertise in complex mission planning and execution with minimal resources.

Important Keywords Explained

ISROorganization

The Indian Space Research Organisation is the national space agency of India, founded in 1969. It is responsible for space-based applications, space exploration, and the development of related technologies. ISRO operates under the Department of Space, which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India.

PSLVconcept

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed and operated by ISRO. It is known for its reliability and versatility, primarily used for launching satellites into polar sun-synchronous orbits. PSLV has also been used for launching Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan.

GSLVconcept

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable space launch vehicle used by ISRO to launch satellites and other space objects into geosynchronous transfer orbits. It is more powerful than PSLV and is used for heavier payloads, including Chandrayaan-2.

Vikram Landerconcept

The lander component of India's Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions, named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space program. Its purpose is to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface and deploy a rover for scientific exploration.

Additional Facts & Context

• Chandrayaan-1 carried 11 scientific instruments, including 5 from India and 6 from other countries.
• Mangalyaan carried 5 scientific instruments to study Mars.
• The total cost of the Mangalyaan mission was approximately 450 crore (US$73 million), making it one of the most cost-effective Mars missions.
• Chandrayaan-3's mission life for the lander and rover was one lunar day, equivalent to about 14 Earth days.
• India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched on April 19, 1975, by the Soviet Union.