Humble Beginnings:
In the world of space exploration and technology, one organization has steadily made a name for itself with its groundbreaking accomplishments – the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). While great achievements such as launching over 300 satellites and reaching Mars and recently the most significant of all putting a rover on the moon has put ISRO on the map. But like all great accomplishments, ISRO had humble beginnings. It was born from a dream and nurtured by passion, determination, and consistent efforts. This is the story of ISRO's inception and its journey to becoming a formidable force in the arena of space technology.
Origins:
The seed for India's ambitious space program was planted in 1962 when Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, a pioneering physicist and space visionary, founded the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR). The primary objective of this committee was to utilize space technology for India's development and devise applications that would aid in solving the nation's pressing socio-economic challenges.
In 1963, INCOSPAR established Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) near Trivandrum as India's first rocket launching centre. Thumba quickly became an active hub for launching sounding rockets to study Earth's upper atmosphere. The United States, USSR, France, and other countries joined hands with INCOSPAR in this endeavour. Four years later, on August 15th, 1969 – coinciding with India’s Independence Day – ISRO came into existence under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was appointed as its founding chairman who is also known as the father of the Indian Space program.
India`s Journey to the Moon:
India's lunar ambitions started to take shape with the establishment of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1962. Over time, ISRO aimed to expand its capabilities and undertake more complex missions. Under ISRO, India has sent three missions to the moon until now.
Chandrayaan-1: The Mission that found water on the Moon.
Launched on October 22, 2008, Chandrayaan-1 was India's first lunar probe, aimed at mapping the moon's surface and exploring its mineral composition. The mission showcased ISRO's capabilities as its spacecraft successfully orbited the moon and operated for almost a year. One notable discovery from Chandrayaan-1 was evidence of water molecules on the moon's surface. The Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), a collaboration between ISRO and NASA, detected signatures of hydroxyl and water molecules on the lunar surface—findings that generated much excitement in the scientific community
Chandrayaan 2: India’s Attempt to soft land on the Lunar South Pole.
Following Chandrayaan-1 success, Chandrayaan-2, India's second lunar exploration mission, played a pivotal role in this adventure. Launched on July 22, 2019, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the mission aimed to analyse the presence of water molecules and map various lunar topographical features. The spacecraft consisted of an Orbiter, Lander, and Rover. The Orbiter, equipped with advanced instruments, played a crucial role in capturing high-resolution images of the lunar surface and studying the moon's atmosphere. The Lander, named Vikram, was designed to make a soft landing near the lunar south pole. It carried the Rover, Pragyan, which was designed to traverse the lunar surface and collect valuable scientific data. Everything seemed to be going according to plan until September 7, 2019, when the communication link with the Lander 'Vikram' was lost when it was just 2.1 kilometers above the surface. It was later confirmed that the lander had crashed on the surface of moon. This ordeal broke the hearts of scientists and millions of Indians around the globe.
Chandraayan-3: India Touches down on the lunar Surface.
Despite the catastrophic setback, Chandrayaan-3 was launched from Sriharikota on July 14, 2023, as a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed near the moon's south pole on Aug. 23, 2023, at 6:03 p.m. (India Standard Time). It consists of Lander and Rover configuration. The lander and rover will collect science on the surface for 14 Earth days (a single day on the moon), while the propulsion module will gaze at our planet for its own science experiment.
Vikram (The Lander):
Named after the father of the Indian space program Vikram Sarabhai. The lander is box-shaped, with four landing legs and four landing thrusters.
Its approximate 3,900-pound (1,752-kilogram) mass will include 57 pounds (26 kgs) for the rover. The lander includes:
Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure thermal conductivity and temperature on the surface.
Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) to detect moonquakes.
Langmuir Probe to estimate the density and variation of plasma, or superheated gas, in the moon's environment.
A Laser Retroreflector Array (from NASA) to measure distances using laser ranging.
Pragyan (Rover):
The rover is a rectangular chassis mounted on a six-wheel rocker-bogie wheel drive assembly, Rover instruments include:
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) to look for elements in the lunar soil and rocks.
Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) to examine the chemical and elemental composition of the lunar surface.
The propulsion module "is a box-like structure with one large solar panel mounted on one side and a large cylinder on top ... that acts as a mounting structure for the lander," ISRO says. The propulsion module is more than 2.2 tons (2 tones in mass.)
The module's single experiment is the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) investigation that will assist with exoplanet searches. The experiment will "gather data on the polarization of light reflected by Earth so that researchers can look for other planets with similar signatures.
How will this Mission Benefit Humanity?
Moon is thought to hold important minerals but one of the major goals of Chandrayaan-3 is to hunt for water - scientists say the huge craters in the south pole region which are permanently in shadow hold ice which could support human habitation on the Moon in future.
It could also be used for supplying propellant for spacecraft headed to Mars and other distant destinations.
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