The Moon is the most nearby celestial body and the Earth’s natural satellite. It is stated that studying the evolution of the moon would help us understand the history of the solar system and the Earth. Several moon missions had been carried out. Even India’s space agency, which has undertaken two moon missions, is not far behind. Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, and Chandrayaan-3 are the three main characters.
ISRO had a lot of success with the Chandrayaan 1 lunar orbiter, which did high-resolution remote sensing of the Moon. Furthermore, a space capsule called the ‘Moon Impact Probe’ successfully discovered the presence of water vapour on the Moon. However, a crash landing of Chandrayaan 2 prompted ISRO to launch the Chandrayaan program’s third phase.
Chandrayaan-1
The Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft was launched into Earth orbit on October 22, 2008, by an Indian PSLV rocket. On November 8, that year, Chandrayaan-1 successfully entered orbit around the Moon after a series of orbit-raising maneuvers.
Chandrayaan-2
The Chandrayaan-2 project aims to send an orbiter, lander, and rover to the Moon. The three vehicles proceeded into lunar orbit as one united spacecraft in July 2019, and the lander, transporting the rover, sought but was unable to touchdown in the Moon’s southern hemisphere. The orbiter will continue to observe the Moon from overhead.
Chandrayaan-3
According to Isro authorities, Chandrayaan-3 will reach lunar orbit about a month after launch, and its lander, Vikram, and rover, Pragyaan, would most likely settle on the Moon on August 23. It will be launched on July 14th, 2003. Notably, the newest mission’s landing spot is similar to that of Chandrayaan-2.
Let’s discuss about the major difference between Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, and Chandrayaan-3
Comparison of Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, and Chandrayaan-3
Date of launch |
Place of launch |
Mission |
What all is included |
|
Chandrayaan-1 |
October 22, 2008 | SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota | To provide a full map of the chemical composition at the surface and three-dimensional topography. | lunar orbiter and an impactor |
Chandrayaan-2 |
July 22, 2019 | SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota | To map and investigate differences in lunar surface composition, as well as the location and amount of lunar water. | lunar orbiter, a lander, and the Pragyan rover |
Chandrayaan-3 |
July 14, 2023 | SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota | Getting a lander to land safely and softly on the Moon’s surface. Observing and showing the rover’s ability to loiter on the Moon | lander and a rover |