Chandrayaan-3

Quick Facts: Who was Chandrayaan-3?

Subject:

Chandrayaan-3

Known for:

India's third lunar mission, achieving a soft landing near the Moon's South Pole.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Chandrayaan-3 (CHUN-drə-YAHN ; ; from Sanskrit: Chandra, "Moon" and yāna, "craft, vehicle") is the third mission in the Chandrayaan programme, a series of lunar-exploration missions developed by ISRO. The mission consists of Vikram, a lunar lander, and Pragyan, a lunar rover, as replacements for the equivalents on Chandrayaan-2, which had crashed on landing in 2019.

Career & Major Achievements

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on 14 July 2023, at 14:35 IST from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It entered lunar orbit on 5 August, and touched down near the lunar south pole, at 69°S, on 23 August 2023 at 18:04 IST (12:34 UTC).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

With this landing, ISRO became the fourth national space agency to successfully land on the Moon, after the Soviet space program, NASA and CNSA, and the first in human history to achieve a soft landing near the lunar south pole. The lander was not built to withstand the cold temperatures of the lunar night, so it was shut down at sunset over the landing site, twelve days after landing.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2019: 2019 Milestone — The mission consists of Vikram, a lunar lander, and Pragyan, a lunar rover, as replacements for the equivalents on Chandrayaan-2, which had crashed on landing in 2019.
2. 2023: 2023 Milestone — Chandrayaan-3 was launched on 14 July 2023, at 14:35 IST from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Notable Quotes by Chandrayaan-3

“Chandrayaan-3 was a historic achievement for India's space program.” (2023)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Chandrayaan-3

True or False: “Chandrayaan-3 was designed to withstand the extreme cold temperatures of the lunar night for the entire mission duration.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The lander was not built to withstand the cold temperatures of the lunar night, which is why it was shut down at sunset over the landing site after a planned period.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Chandrayaan-3