The Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) is preparing to land the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the Moon, and former Isro director K Sivan is confident that Vikram Lander will touch the lunar surface.
In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, Sivan expressed his firm belief that Chandrayaan-3 will successfully land on the lunar surface despite the failures encountered in the previous mission, Chandrayaan-2.
The scientist who led the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019 said that the failures of that mission did not dampen expectations for Chandrayaan-3. He points out that the two missions are completely separate, each equipped with its own system and sensors. Sivan ensures that the Chandrayaan-3 systems are working smoothly and he expects a successful landing on the surface of the Moon. Sivan sheds light on the intricacies of the moon landing process, describing the challenges of reducing a spacecraft's speed from about two kilometers per second to zero in exactly 15 minutes. He emphasized that this controlled deceleration was necessary to avoid a hard landing and that the Chandrayaan-3 mission was meticulously designed to meet these challenges.
Talking about the technical difficulties encountered in Chandrayaan-2, Sivan said the bugs have been fixed in Chandrayaan-3. “Design margins have been improved and redundancies have been integrated into the system to ensure mission success,” said Sivan.
The former Isro director also praised the resilience of Isro scientists, pointing to their ability to quickly recover from disappointments. He said Isro's strength is reflected in its ability to quickly analyze mission data, identify problems, and take corrective actions.
Regarding the difficult terrain near the lunar south pole, Sivan said the Chandrayaan-3 rover is well equipped to deal with adverse conditions, including rough terrain and rocky surfaces.
While acknowledging the complexity and unknown variables of space missions, he stressed that Isro is doing everything humanly possible to ensure the success of Chandrayaan-3. However, he also acknowledges that there are always "unknown unknowns" in space exploration, and as a result, they approach the mission with anticipation and anxiety.
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission is set to once again demonstrate the country's capabilities in lunar exploration. The mission's success will not only enhance India's reputation in the field of space science but also contribute valuable data to the global understanding of our celestial neighbor, the Moon.
Chandrayaan-3 will begin its approach to land on August 23 at 5:00 a.m.
45 hours and the expected disembarkation time is 8pm
