INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION'S

 Chandrayan-3

     The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the Chandrayaan-3 to the Moon as per schedule at 2:35 p.m today at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.   Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar          exploration mission, will make India the fourth country to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the country's abilities for safe and soft landings on lunar surfaces. 

     This will be the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing in 2019. 

     The 'Launch Rehearsal', simulating the entire launch preparation and process, has been concluded by the ISRO. 

     The mission will propel the lunar spacecraft towards a trajectory to the Moon. The mission readiness review committee of ISRO had given its clearance for liftoff, as all the necessary parameters for a successful launch had been met. Following the committee's approval, the launch authorisation board had also granted permission for the Chandrayaan-3 mission to proceed. If all goes according to plan, the 43.5-meter LVM-3 launch rocket will send the spacecraft into an elliptical Earth orbit before it begins its journey towards the Moon. The scheduled landing near the lunar south pole is expected to occur around August 23. 

     The LVM-3 is a heavy-lift launch vehicle renowned for its ability to carry a substantial payload into space. It is the most powerful rocket developed by ISRO and stands unrivaled in its class. Known as the 'Bahubali' of rockets, the LVM-3 is a three-stage rocket equipped with two solid-fuel boosters and a liquid-fuel core stage. The solid-fuel boosters provide the initial thrust, while the liquid-fuel core stage ensures sustained thrust to propel the rocket into orbit. 

     The mission involves a 2-meter tall lander designed to deploy a rover near the lunar south pole region. The rover is expected to operate for approximately two weeks, conducting a series of experiments. 

     ISRO's previous mission, Chandrayaan-2, successfully deployed an orbiter in 2020. However, its lander and rover were unfortunately destroyed in a crash near the intended touchdown site of Chandrayaan-3. 

     To date, only the Soviet Union, the United States, and China have achieved successful soft landings on the Moon. This launch by ISRO marks the country's first major mission following the Centre's announcement of policies aimed at promoting investment in private space launches and satellite-based businesses.