New Delhi:

Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin hailed India’s remarkable achievements in space exploration and underscored Russia’s unwavering support for its space endeavours.

On the 40th Anniversary of the spaceflight of the first Indian cosmonaut, Rakesh Sharma, aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 in 1984, Babushkin emphasised the enduring partnership between Russia and India in the space sector.

Babushkin’s remarks also highlight the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission and the collaborative efforts in the Gaganyan project.

“Russia has always been favouring Indian success,” Babushkin told ANI, emphasising the historic collaboration symbolised by figures like Rakesh Sharma.

Notably, he commemorated the achievement of Rakesh Sharma, who etched his name in history as India’s first astronaut.

He lauded India’s independent space research programme, which not only benefits the nation but also extends assistance to other countries in satellite launches.

Speaking ahead of the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Babushkin highlighted Russia’s unwavering support for India’s space endeavours, emphasising India’s significant milestones in the field.

From Chandrayaan-3’s recent triumph to the ambitious Gaganyan mission, Russia has played a pivotal role in nurturing India’s space capabilities, including training astronauts and aiding in spacecraft development.

“The space domain stands as a testament to our special and privileged strategic partnership,” he also said, addressing the gathering at the Russian embassy here on the occasion.

“Russia, as a pioneer in space exploration, has always favoured Indian success. Our engagements date back to 1975, when the Soviet Union helped launch Aryabhata, India’s first satellite. The second satellite, Bhaskara, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1979,” he added.

Mentioning India’s Chandrayaan Mission, he went on to say, “Now India, having developed its robust national space programme, by right enjoys the status of a space super-power, well-reputed, reliable and preferred global partner for space science and satellite launching. The successful Chandrayaan-3 project is a huge landmark.”

Speaking further on the India-Russia space collaboration, Babushkin underlined the ISRO and Roscosmos cooperation.

“Russia remains one of India’s leading partners. The Russian State Corporation ‘Roscosmos’ and ISRO are deeply involved in the implementation of the Indian Gaganyan mission by training astronauts, providing assistance in the development of manned spacecraft, supplying life-support and crew-escape systems, flight suits, couches, rate sensors, cooperating on thermal protection coatings, applied materials and space medicine capacity building,” the diplomat said.

“Our vibrant partnership includes space propulsion engineering, cryogen engine construction, satellite navigation, and establishing ground stations for receiving communication signals. We are exploring new tracks emanating from the prospects of wider involvement of the private sector and start-ups,” he added.

Babushkin further highlighted how India and Russia ‘closely coordinate’ at the dedicated multilateral platforms, first of all the UN and its Outer Space Committee. He also went on to underline how the month of April holds a reason to celebrate.

“We maintain in-depth dialogue to prevent arms races in outer space and promote the Russian initiative of non-placement of weapons in outer space. This is also part of our agenda in BRICS, including the agreement on the remote satellite constellation’, he said.

“We have many reasons to celebrate this month, including the 63rd anniversary of the first human space journey by the legend Yury Gagarin on April 12 as well as the 77th anniversary of the establishment of Russia-India diplomatic relations on April 13. More and the Russian presidency in the expanded BRICS. However, the theme of space and the historic importance of the great deed by Rakesh Sharma epitomising the spirit of our friendship deserves to be an undoubted background for our overall cooperation in 2024,” he added.

On Wednesday, the Russian Embassy and TASS News Agency jointly arranged a dedicated photo exhibition that included a unique archive of photographic materials, along with the screening of the documentary “How I Became a Cosmonaut.”

Rakesh Sharma went on to become the first Indian citizen to reach outer space when he flew aboard the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome.

He spent 7 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes in space and took India to become the 14th nation to travel to outer space. Sharma’s work was mainly in the fields of biomedicine and remote sensing.

Sharma conducted several scientific studies and experiments, including remote sensing and biomedicine. The crew even held a conference with officials from space. When the then PM of India, Indira Gandhi, asked Sharma how India looked from outer space, Sharma said, “Saare Jahaan Se Achcha.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

An image of Chandrayaan-3 Vikram Lander, clicked through a Pragyan rover’s navigation camera, and released by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
| Photo Credit: ANI

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) working group for Planetary System Nomenclature has approved the name Statio Shiv Shakti for the landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander. The approval was given on March 19, 2024.

“Compound word from Indian mythology that depicts the masculine (“Shiva”) and feminine (“Shakti”) duality of nature; Landing site of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander,” states the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature on the origin of the Statio Shiv Shakti name.

According to the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is used to uniquely identify a feature on the surface of a planet or satellite so that the feature can be easily located, described, and discussed.

“This gazetteer contains detailed information about all names of topographic and albedo features on planets and satellites (and some planetary ring and ring-gap systems) that the IAU has named and approved from its founding in 1919 through the present time,” it states.

The IAU is the internationally recognised authority for assigning nomenclature to planetary surface features.

Name announced by PM Modi

The Astrogeology Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey maintains the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature on behalf of the IAU with funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

On August 26, 2023 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the point where the Moon lander of Chandrayaan-3 touched down will now be known as Shiv Shakti.

“The point where the moon lander of Chandrayaan-3 landed will now be known as Shiv Shakti. In Shiv, there is resolution for the welfare of humanity and Shakti gives us strength to fulfil those resolutions. This Shiv Shakti point of the moon also gives a sense of connection with Himalaya to Kanyakumari,” Mr. Modi while announcing the name.

Vikram Lander of . Chandrayaan-3 can be seen resting on the surface of the moon in this image clicked with Pragyan Rover’s navigation camera.

Chandrayaan-3’s lander module, Vikram, had generated an ‘ejecta halo’ on the lunar surface while making the historic touchdown on the south pole of the moon on August 23. 

According to a new study, Vikram raised lunar dust and generated a bright patch around itself when it landed on the moon.

”Chandrayaan-3 Results: On August 23, 2023, as it descended, the Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module generated a spectacular ‘ejecta halo’ of lunar material. Scientists from NRSC/ISRO estimate that about 2.06 tonnes of lunar epi regolith were ejected and displaced over an area of 108.4 m² around the landing site”, ISRO posted on X (formerly Twitter).

These findings were published in an article titled Characterisation of Ejecta Halo on the Lunar Surface Around Chandrayaan-3 Vikram Lander Using OHRC Imagery, in the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing on October 26.

“The Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 mission landed near the south pole of the moon on August 23. During the action of descent stage thrusters and the consequent landing, a significant amount of lunar surficial epi regolith material got ejected, resulting in a reflectance anomaly or ejecta halo”, states the abstract of the article, authored by Swati Singh, Prakash Chauhan, Priyom Roy, Tapas R. Martha and Iswar C. Das from ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad.

The authors added that they compared the pre- and post-landing high-resolution panchromatic imagery from Orbiter High-Resolution Camera (OHRC) of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, acquired hours before, and after the landing event, and characterised this ejecta halo as an irregular bright patch surrounding the lander.

“From the mapped and classified, uncorrelated ejecta halo pixels, an approximate areal extent of 108.4 m2 is estimated to have been covered by lunar epi regolith ejecta displaced due to the landing sequence of the Vikram lander. Further, using empirical relations, we estimate that approximately 2.06 tonnes of lunar epi regolith were ejected due to the landing event,” the authors added.

India became the fourth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon, and the first nation to touch down in the polar region when the Chandrayaan-3’s lander module, with the rover in its belly, successfully made a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23.

Since landing on the moon, Vikram and Pragyan Rover have carried out many in-situ measurements, like confirmation of the presence of sulphur in the region, and detecting the presence of minor elements, among other things.

Vikram also achieved a significant milestone, as it successfully undertook a hop experiment when the lander — on command — fired the engines, elevated itself by about 40 cm, and landed safely at a distance of 30-40 cm away.

The lander and the rover went to sleep after the end of one lunar day (14 Earth days). Efforts to wake them up have not been successful so far.

New Delhi:

The Ministry of Education on Wednesday clarified ‘mixing science with mythology’ on Chandrayaan 3 Special Modules and said that the NCERT has meticulously crafted ten special modules on Chandrayaan-3 which offer a comprehensive overview of various facets of this mission, encompassing scientific, technological, cultural, and social aspects.

It clarified that in light of the rapid advancements and notable milestones achieved at the national level, it becomes imperative to equip our teachers and students with knowledge that transcends traditional textbooks.

This endeavour aims to instill a profound sense of pride in our country and its accomplishments. To achieve this, it is essential to extend our curricular materials beyond textbooks, presenting the nation’s achievements in a manner that is both accessible and captivating for our educational community, added the Ministry of Education press release.

“One such monumental achievement is the successful landing of Bharat’s Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon on 23rd August 2023. Recognizing the significance of acquainting the 26 crore students in our school education system with this remarkable space initiative of India, NCERT has taken a proactive step in this direction,” it added.

Ministry further said that with the aspiration to integrate significant achievements into the curriculum, NCERT has developed pedagogically enriched curricular resources spanning a wide range of themes. 

These themes include Nari Shakti Vandan (Women’s Empowerment), COVID management, Sustainability, Bharat – the mother of democracy, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the success of Chandrayaan-3, etc.

“The initial theme chosen for the development of these special modules is Chandrayaan-3. NCERT has meticulously crafted ten special modules on Chandrayaan-3. Additionally, they delve into the emotional journey and team spirit of the scientists involved” it added.

Ministry said in a statement that the content within these modules has been thoughtfully designed to be interactive and engaging. It includes graphics, photographs, illustrations, activities, challenging questions, and more. These modules cater to students across the stages of school education, spanning from grades 1 to 12.

Importantly, they have been created with a mindful approach towards the relevance of themes for different stages. The modules feature stories, cases, quiz questions, and activities, all designed to motivate self-paced learning among students and encourage teachers to guide their students through the suggested pedagogy of experiential learning.

“In this endeavour, NCERT has taken specific steps to acknowledge the significant role played by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) scientists. They have been duly credited and recognized in these modules on Chandrayaan-3. The contributions of renowned scientists such as Dr Vikram Sarabhai, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Dr S Somnath, Dr K Sivan, Nandini Harinath and many others have been highlighted in different modules at different stages” Education Ministry said.

Additionally, it is essential to emphasize the commitment of the Hon’ble Prime Minister towards space achievements. Recognizing the Prime Minister’s unwavering support and encouragement to our scientists can inspire students and motivate them to take an interest in science and technology.

The integration of these significant achievements and the recognition of the collaborative efforts of scientists, engineers, and political leaders, including the Prime Minister, reflect the strength and progress of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant Bharat). This vision, coupled with the revision in the Space policy, has propelled the country towards self-reliance in the field of space exploration.

Mythology and philosophy put forward ideas and ideas lead to innovation and research. Numerous research studies emphasize that mythology plays an indispensable role in the cultural fabric of any country, including Bharat. 

Furthermore, the integration of culture into education not only fosters a profound understanding of a nation’s historical legacy but also bolsters creativity and problem-solving skills among students. It’s the whole gestalt of India’s association with sky and space.

These modules accessible on the NCERT website, have been launched by the Hon’ble Education Minister in the presence of the Chairman of ISRO. They are made available to students, teachers, and parents with the aim of fostering widespread appreciation and understanding of this historic event.

Through this initiative, NCERT seeks to not only promote scientific temper but also instill a sense of pride, inspiration, and an understanding of our country’s achievements among the educational community and the public at large.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Sahibabad:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the government has drawn up a roadmap for the development of space sector and that day was not far when an Indian will travel to the Moon in an indigenously built spacecraft.

Addressing a function here, the prime minister said India’s Gaganyaan will soon ferry Indian astronauts to space and the country also plans to establish its own space station.

“We have drawn a strong roadmap till 2040 for the space sector…that day is not far when we will land an Indian on the Moon on our own spacecraft,” PM Modi said after flagging off the first Namo Bharat train on the 17-km stretch of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System.

PM Modi recalled that India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 had recently placed the country’s tricolour on the lunar surface.

He said India of the 21st century was writing new chapters of progress and the landing of Chandrayaan on the Moon had left the world awestruck.

“With the impeccable hosting of the G20 Summit, today’s India has become the centre of attraction and curiosity for the world which finds new opportunities to connect. Today’s India wins more than 100 medals in the Asian Games.

“Today’s India launches 5G on its strength and takes it to all corners of the country. Today’s India does the highest digital transactions in the world. Namo Bharat trains that were flagged off today are also made in India,” the prime minister said.

Earlier this month, the prime minister set goals for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by asking engineers and scientists to work towards setting up an Indian Space Station by 2035 and sending an Indian astronaut to the lunar surface by 2040.

PM Modi also asked scientists to undertake interplanetary missions such as a Venus orbiter and also attempt a landing on Mars.

He also said the government has handed over festival gifts by reducing the gas cylinder price by Rs 500 for Ujjwala beneficiaries, free ration to more than 80 crore citizens, four per cent dearness allowance and dearness relief to the central government employees and pensioners and Diwali bonus for lakhs of group B and C non-gazetted railway employees.

“This will benefit the entire economy as it will promote economic activities in the market,” he said.

The prime minister said that the festive joy in every family increases when such “sensitive decisions” are taken and the happiness of every family in the country makes up for the festive mood.

“You are my family, so you are my priority. This work is being done for you. If you are happy, I will be happy. If you are empowered, the country will emerge stronger,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

S. Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), attributes the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon to “the result of the hard work of thousands of people in ISRO”, the “rigour of the reviews”, and “corrective action taken meticulously.”

In an interview with T.S. Subramanian in Bengaluru, Dr. Somanath asserted that the launch of the LVM-3 rocket on July 14 from Sriharikota and its placing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into its earth-bound orbit was the “most critical event” of the mission. He also spoke about the significance of the hop test conducted with the Vikram lander on the moon, said that “we are in the process of thinking about” a sample return mission from the moon, and shared his thoughts on the Aditya-L1 mission.

Question: How confident were you about the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s success? What were the contributing factors that led to the success – to the lander Vikram soft-landing on the moon and the rover Pragyan sliding down from Vikram?

Answer: There were many. The first and foremost is Chandrayaan-2’s unsuccessful attempt itself. When there is an unsuccessful attempt, it gives a lot of information. The analysis of that event gave us so [many] additional insights which were not available in the Chandrayaan-2 time frame itself. We understood the deficiencies very well. There were multiple deficiencies. It was a chain of events that caused the failure. In any rocket mission, we make sure that one event does not propagate. If one event propagates and results ultimately in failure, it means the protection mechanisms you had planned are not functioning.

There were at least five different events that culminated in the failure. There were windows left for the failure to propagate.  Once we understood them, we looked at what more could happen in similar lines. Once they were understood, we devised a set of tests that were much more rigorous and involved than what we did earlier. All these tests were done without a single item being dropped. All the tests’ results were reviewed and analysed, and corrective action taken meticulously. It took almost four years of work to be done. That is why there was such a long gap between Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3.

You know every success comes not (repeat not) out of review or checks but it is the work of the people… So you have to challenge them. Unless you challenge them, unless they feel insecure, they will not do a great job. Complacency is dangerous. My job was to create an awareness about themselves… You have to stir them, challenge them. This is what we did.

Last time [during the Chandrayaan-2 mission], we had a problem with the software; we had problems with algorithms; we had problems with hardware; and we had problems with implementation. There was inadequacy of thrust.

Was the removal of the central, fifth engine in the lander a contributing factor to Chandrayaan-3’s success? Originally, there were only four engines in Chandrayaan-2 but a fifth engine was added. This additional fifth, middle engine in Chandrayaan-2 did not perform well. Time was running out. Fuel was running out.

No, no. I will explain. It had nothing to do with the failure or success of the fifth engine. The fifth engine was necessary in [the lander of] Chandrayaan-2 because only that much thrust was necessary. Only the central engine was used for the final landing. If you have four engines, a fifth engine is a possibility. A central engine was necessary in Chandrayaan-2 because the thrust of that engine matched with the thrust of the mass of the craft. But when it came to Chandrayaan-3, the mass of the craft was 250 kg more. A single engine would be unable to sustain such a mass. So you have to fire two engines.  When you have to fire two engines, four is a better configuration. The fifth engine was deleted in Chandrayaan-3 because the mass of the landing craft increased [and you needed two engines to fire]. The fifth engine in Chandrayaan-2 had nothing to do with the mission’s failure or success.

You had chosen a bigger area on the lunar surface to land now. Was it another contributing factor to Vikram’s successful landing?

Last time, we had an area of half a km by half a km to land. One of the biggest flaws last time was that we were trying to land exactly at a [particular] location. So the programme was trying to move the lander to that point and then land. Although it could have landed safely, it was not allowing. The software was trying to push it to that point. This was not really necessary.  We could have landed in a place away. We could have been left with no time to land.

We had a wider area this time. But a wider area was not possible last time because we did not have good images of the [lunar surface then]. We were actually imaging prior to the orbit and identifying the landing location from the previous orbit, sending it to the earth, and saying, “This is the location.”

This time, we already had the pictures from Chandrayaan-2. Using those pictures, we could choose a wider area. It was pre-planned.  This time, there was no taking pictures from the previous orbit and analysing them. So Chandrayaan-2 helped Chandrayaan-3 to land safely. A wider area of 4.5 km by 2.5 km was selected this time. We were supposed to land in the middle of it. We landed within 300 metres of it. 

You listed five “critical events” during the entire Chandrayaan-3 mission. They were the launch of the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) rocket and its putting Chandrayaan-3 first into earth-bound orbit; the propulsion module with the lander being put into trans-lunar orbit; the propulsion module being captured by the moon’s gravity; the separation of the lander from the propulsion module; and the lander Vikram soft-landing on the moon. In your estimate, which was the most critical of these five events?

Undoubtedly, it was the launch.

But the LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) rocket had had six successful flights in a row already.

People take it for granted that the launch is just a routine affair. But the launch is much more complex than even the Chandrayaan-3 satellite which is such a simple, upper stage of the PSLV only. But it has a little more sensors and software. That is all. But a rocket is much more complex. It has to go through the atmosphere, do the turning, do the work under severe conditions, experience stress and strain, and reach the correct orbit. The number of systems [working in a rocket] is ten times more than that of Chandrayaan-3 craft. The propulsion, algorithms, gyros, mechanisms, sensors and so many complex events are taking place. Yet the rocket has to be successful. But people take it for granted. “It is all child’s play” [people think]. The good part is that we are doing the launch multiple times. If we do it again and again, we have the confidence. That is all the result of the work of thousands of people. Chandrayaan-3 is also such a result.

I consider the launch [to have been] the most critical event because there is no intervention in that. It is fully autonomous. There is no human intervention.

It is totally autonomous…

From lift off, you give the command, up to the injection of the satellite into orbit, there is no human intervention. But manoeuvres of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft such as its trans-lunar injection, its being captured by the moon, Vikram landing on the moon, everything is with our intervention. All of these, we can intervene at any point. We can change the software. We can change the parameters. We can land appropriately. All these are possible except in the launch. That is why the launch is more critical.

Can you explain the expected behaviour and the actual behaviour of Vikram during the landing process?

Actually, the landing process is a very complex process. It is the reverse of the rocket taking off. The rocket takes off vertically and finally becomes horizontal.

It will become tangential to the earth. It will continuously take an arc from the lift-off to the injection of the satellite into orbit. 

During the landing process, the lander has to come down from a high velocity to low velocity. In this case, the lander could have come down straight away. But we did not plan it like that. In this mission, in-between, we introduced a lot of check-points. From 30 km, it will come down to 7.80 km, then it will come down to 150 metres. It will then do certain checks. The lander will hover at these points. This hovering was necessary to do certain instruments’ verification. [For instance) Altimeter. In the general soft-landing, all these are not necessary. It made the whole landing process a little more complex. It is longer than needed. It will consume more fuel.

After the confidence building resulting from Chandrayaan-3, the landing process in the future missions will be smoother and without break. It will be continuously coming down from one point to another. It will be more fuel-efficient and faster.

One of the problems during the Chandrayaan-2 landing was the way of landing. We had one section called the rough braking phase, then the camera coasting phase, the fine braking phase and the terminal descent phase. Conversion into four different phases is not really necessary. It can seamlessly continue.

We did a scenario of continuous landing in case of some emergency where the sensors need not come into picture. In future missions, we will do [it] like that. This landing in Chandrayaan-3 followed exactly what we had planned. The velocity reduction, orientation changes etc. happened perfectly. It did the hovering exactly. In the last 150 metres, we had some time to study the lunar surface and see whether there were any boulders. The lander moved a little bit. We identified that it moved a little bit to see whether it was clear of rocks. It landed very safely. Almost all the sensors worked… So I must say it was a perfect landing.

What is the significance of the hop test done by the Vikram lander? It hopped 50 cm and it rose a little bit in the air.

In any mission, the craft which goes to the moon or Mars should come back. Otherwise, it will be a one-way mission. The vehicle is supposed to do a two-way mission. If you do a two-way mission, the vehicle will take off from the moon’s surface and come back to the earth. When you take off from the moon’s surface, it is a different algorithm. It is not a landing algorithm. It is a rocket algorithm. It has to go into orbit. From the orbit, it has to restart and come back to the earth. If you do it, the cycle is complete

When human beings go to the moon, all these have to be achieved. We have to learn all these in steps. I thought that after this primary mission goes off well, why don’t we start trying it out [the hop test]. It is new thinking. A week after the landing, we mooted this idea. Once all the mission’s objectives were met, why can’t we do some trials … to see whether it is possible. But we could not do it fully. If you take off, it can actually take off. There was no issue. But people were scared. The lander can fail. It can topple. It should not jeopardise the mission. After a week, the daylight will come. So we decided that we will do a short pulse.

A short jump?

Yes, a short jump. If you don’t stop, it will continue. The hopping is to show it rises to a certain height, it can land and to see whether our control systems, propulsion systems and sensors have worked well. This is the trial here. It worked reasonably well.

Is it a trial for the sample-return mission?

Chandrayaan-3 configuration cannot work for a sample return mission. You have to design a new craft, a new approach. It requires more mass, a higher payload. Then a sample return mission is possible. The travel for coming back from the moon to the earth requires energy. We have to plan for that. We are in the process of thinking about it.

You have sent Aditya-L1 to study the sun’s corona, the solar flares, the solar winds etc. What made you choose the sun for study? Is it because “Without the sun, you cannot study the earth”?

The study of the sun is not a new thing. We have the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. It has a research group which is focused on the study of the sun. We have a solar observatory at Udaipur. It is under the PRL. There are ground-based observations of the sun happening regularly. There are multiple institutions such as the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) and others concentrating on sun-related studies.

Once a small team of scientists is there, it is good to look at the sun. Then the question of developing the instruments to study the sun came up. Three years ago, a discussion on how to develop these instruments began… From the time of U R Rao [former ISRO Chairman], discussions have been taking place. The idea is good but somebody has to develop the instruments.

Vikram Sarabhai was interested in the study of the sun.

Many missions to study the sun had already taken place. They were done the world-over by the Americans, the Europeans and others. We now have a little more understanding of the type of instruments needed to be built. We decided that our instruments must be unique in their ability to observe the sun. That is how the seven instruments were identified for Aditya L1. Solar coronagraph was developed by ISRO and the IIA. It looks at the solar corona, solar mass ejection etc. They help us in modelling the corona.

IUCAA’s instrument is for ultraviolet radiation. They have reasonable expertise in it. The VSSC, the PRL and others built the remaining instruments. The Space Physics Laboratory (SPL), Thiruvananthapuram, looks at the sun’s particles, its low-energy and high-energy X-rays, particle emissions, its magnetic influence and so on.

The importance of Aditya L1 is that it actually connects the solar emissions to particle emissions to X-ray emissions to magnetic influence. So there is a chain of connected events. In other missions, these types of [connected] measurements are not done. You measure coronal mass ejections and no other correlated measurements. If you do correlated measurements and there is a magnetic influence happening, I can relate to coronal mass ejections. This means these measurements are inter-related. They help in long-term predictions of the impact of such emissions on our sun.

What is the current status of the propulsion module of the Chandrayaan-3 mission? And what is its SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth) payload doing?

The propulsion module is going around the moon in a 100-km orbit. Its SHAPE payload is observing the earth… That data is being continuously collected.

With the success of the Mars orbiter, Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya L1 missions, will ISRO be concentrating more on interplanetary missions? Will you ask the private companies to build and launch application satellites?

Nothing like that. Scientific missions have been done by ISRO only. It may not have commercial value. If commercial values are there, industries will be interested. Otherwise, going to the moon and doing the sun mission, who will be interested? They are national missions with a certain objective of growing a scientific pool within the country and creating a certain capability. It has to be publicly funded. It cannot be private.

Of course, tomorrow, there is asteroid-mining and commercial opportunities are there, private companies will be interested. Private companies cannot work without profitability.

Another point you mentioned is whether all application-oriented satellites will be launched by private companies. That may not be possible because it goes with commercial viability. If they are not commercially viable, they will not implement some of the technologies. We have to build advanced communication satellites, with R&D components. We will be building hundreds of satellites. We will look at [satellites with] synthetic aperture radars, which are scientific in nature than observation. Such things as strategic satellites, we will continue to build.

How do you view in totality the three Chandrayaan, the Mars Orbiter, and the Aditya-L1 missions?

Space has always been an inspirational domain for scientists who want to pursue a career in science, engineering and technology. Every young boy and girl will say that he or she wants to become an astronomer, astrophysicist, and so on. Their career will take them to many places. They are fascinated by celestial bodies… Space technology is such an inspirational domain. We also know it is a complex domain. For countries like India, there are questions being asked even today about its relevance. During Sarabhai’s time, there were a lot of such questions. These types of missions [to the moon, Mars and so on] will reduce the number of such questions.

S. Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), attributes the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon to “the result of the hard work of thousands of people in ISRO”, the “rigour of the reviews”, and “corrective action taken meticulously.”

In an interview with T.S. Subramanian in Bengaluru, Dr. Somanath asserted that the launch of the LVM-3 rocket on July 14 from Sriharikota and its placing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into its earth-bound orbit was the “most critical event” of the mission. He also spoke about the significance of the hop test conducted with the Vikram lander on the moon, said that “we are in the process of thinking about” a sample return mission from the moon, and shared his thoughts on the Aditya-L1 mission.

Question: How confident were you about the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s success? What were the contributing factors that led to the success – to the lander Vikram soft-landing on the moon and the rover Pragyan sliding down from Vikram?

Answer: There were many. The first and foremost is Chandrayaan-2’s unsuccessful attempt itself. When there is an unsuccessful attempt, it gives a lot of information. The analysis of that event gave us so [many] additional insights which were not available in the Chandrayaan-2 time frame itself. We understood the deficiencies very well. There were multiple deficiencies. It was a chain of events that caused the failure. In any rocket mission, we make sure that one event does not propagate. If one event propagates and results ultimately in failure, it means the protection mechanisms you had planned are not functioning.

There were at least five different events that culminated in the failure. There were windows left for the failure to propagate.  Once we understood them, we looked at what more could happen in similar lines. Once they were understood, we devised a set of tests that were much more rigorous and involved than what we did earlier. All these tests were done without a single item being dropped. All the tests’ results were reviewed and analysed, and corrective action taken meticulously. It took almost four years of work to be done. That is why there was such a long gap between Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3.

You know every success comes not (repeat not) out of review or checks but it is the work of the people… So you have to challenge them. Unless you challenge them, unless they feel insecure, they will not do a great job. Complacency is dangerous. My job was to create an awareness about themselves… You have to stir them, challenge them. This is what we did.

Last time [during the Chandrayaan-2 mission], we had a problem with the software; we had problems with algorithms; we had problems with hardware; and we had problems with implementation. There was inadequacy of thrust.

Was the removal of the central, fifth engine in the lander a contributing factor to Chandrayaan-3’s success? Originally, there were only four engines in Chandrayaan-2 but a fifth engine was added. This additional fifth, middle engine in Chandrayaan-2 did not perform well. Time was running out. Fuel was running out.

No, no. I will explain. It had nothing to do with the failure or success of the fifth engine. The fifth engine was necessary in [the lander of] Chandrayaan-2 because only that much thrust was necessary. Only the central engine was used for the final landing. If you have four engines, a fifth engine is a possibility. A central engine was necessary in Chandrayaan-2 because the thrust of that engine matched with the thrust of the mass of the craft. But when it came to Chandrayaan-3, the mass of the craft was 250 kg more. A single engine would be unable to sustain such a mass. So you have to fire two engines.  When you have to fire two engines, four is a better configuration. The fifth engine was deleted in Chandrayaan-3 because the mass of the landing craft increased [and you needed two engines to fire]. The fifth engine in Chandrayaan-2 had nothing to do with the mission’s failure or success.

You had chosen a bigger area on the lunar surface to land now. Was it another contributing factor to Vikram’s successful landing?

Last time, we had an area of half a km by half a km to land. One of the biggest flaws last time was that we were trying to land exactly at a [particular] location. So the programme was trying to move the lander to that point and then land. Although it could have landed safely, it was not allowing. The software was trying to push it to that point. This was not really necessary.  We could have landed in a place away. We could have been left with no time to land.

We had a wider area this time. But a wider area was not possible last time because we did not have good images of the [lunar surface then]. We were actually imaging prior to the orbit and identifying the landing location from the previous orbit, sending it to the earth, and saying, “This is the location.”

This time, we already had the pictures from Chandrayaan-2. Using those pictures, we could choose a wider area. It was pre-planned.  This time, there was no taking pictures from the previous orbit and analysing them. So Chandrayaan-2 helped Chandrayaan-3 to land safely. A wider area of 4.5 km by 2.5 km was selected this time. We were supposed to land in the middle of it. We landed within 300 metres of it. 

You listed five “critical events” during the entire Chandrayaan-3 mission. They were the launch of the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) rocket and its putting Chandrayaan-3 first into earth-bound orbit; the propulsion module with the lander being put into trans-lunar orbit; the propulsion module being captured by the moon’s gravity; the separation of the lander from the propulsion module; and the lander Vikram soft-landing on the moon. In your estimate, which was the most critical of these five events?

Undoubtedly, it was the launch.

But the LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3) rocket had had six successful flights in a row already.

People take it for granted that the launch is just a routine affair. But the launch is much more complex than even the Chandrayaan-3 satellite which is such a simple, upper stage of the PSLV only. But it has a little more sensors and software. That is all. But a rocket is much more complex. It has to go through the atmosphere, do the turning, do the work under severe conditions, experience stress and strain, and reach the correct orbit. The number of systems [working in a rocket] is ten times more than that of Chandrayaan-3 craft. The propulsion, algorithms, gyros, mechanisms, sensors and so many complex events are taking place. Yet the rocket has to be successful. But people take it for granted. “It is all child’s play” [people think]. The good part is that we are doing the launch multiple times. If we do it again and again, we have the confidence. That is all the result of the work of thousands of people. Chandrayaan-3 is also such a result.

I consider the launch [to have been] the most critical event because there is no intervention in that. It is fully autonomous. There is no human intervention.

It is totally autonomous…

From lift off, you give the command, up to the injection of the satellite into orbit, there is no human intervention. But manoeuvres of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft such as its trans-lunar injection, its being captured by the moon, Vikram landing on the moon, everything is with our intervention. All of these, we can intervene at any point. We can change the software. We can change the parameters. We can land appropriately. All these are possible except in the launch. That is why the launch is more critical.

Can you explain the expected behaviour and the actual behaviour of Vikram during the landing process?

Actually, the landing process is a very complex process. It is the reverse of the rocket taking off. The rocket takes off vertically and finally becomes horizontal.

It will become tangential to the earth. It will continuously take an arc from the lift-off to the injection of the satellite into orbit. 

During the landing process, the lander has to come down from a high velocity to low velocity. In this case, the lander could have come down straight away. But we did not plan it like that. In this mission, in-between, we introduced a lot of check-points. From 30 km, it will come down to 7.80 km, then it will come down to 150 metres. It will then do certain checks. The lander will hover at these points. This hovering was necessary to do certain instruments’ verification. [For instance) Altimeter. In the general soft-landing, all these are not necessary. It made the whole landing process a little more complex. It is longer than needed. It will consume more fuel.

After the confidence building resulting from Chandrayaan-3, the landing process in the future missions will be smoother and without break. It will be continuously coming down from one point to another. It will be more fuel-efficient and faster.

One of the problems during the Chandrayaan-2 landing was the way of landing. We had one section called the rough braking phase, then the camera coasting phase, the fine braking phase and the terminal descent phase. Conversion into four different phases is not really necessary. It can seamlessly continue.

We did a scenario of continuous landing in case of some emergency where the sensors need not come into picture. In future missions, we will do [it] like that. This landing in Chandrayaan-3 followed exactly what we had planned. The velocity reduction, orientation changes etc. happened perfectly. It did the hovering exactly. In the last 150 metres, we had some time to study the lunar surface and see whether there were any boulders. The lander moved a little bit. We identified that it moved a little bit to see whether it was clear of rocks. It landed very safely. Almost all the sensors worked… So I must say it was a perfect landing.

What is the significance of the hop test done by the Vikram lander? It hopped 50 cm and it rose a little bit in the air.

In any mission, the craft which goes to the moon or Mars should come back. Otherwise, it will be a one-way mission. The vehicle is supposed to do a two-way mission. If you do a two-way mission, the vehicle will take off from the moon’s surface and come back to the earth. When you take off from the moon’s surface, it is a different algorithm. It is not a landing algorithm. It is a rocket algorithm. It has to go into orbit. From the orbit, it has to restart and come back to the earth. If you do it, the cycle is complete

When human beings go to the moon, all these have to be achieved. We have to learn all these in steps. I thought that after this primary mission goes off well, why don’t we start trying it out [the hop test]. It is new thinking. A week after the landing, we mooted this idea. Once all the mission’s objectives were met, why can’t we do some trials … to see whether it is possible. But we could not do it fully. If you take off, it can actually take off. There was no issue. But people were scared. The lander can fail. It can topple. It should not jeopardise the mission. After a week, the daylight will come. So we decided that we will do a short pulse.

A short jump?

Yes, a short jump. If you don’t stop, it will continue. The hopping is to show it rises to a certain height, it can land and to see whether our control systems, propulsion systems and sensors have worked well. This is the trial here. It worked reasonably well.

Is it a trial for the sample-return mission?

Chandrayaan-3 configuration cannot work for a sample return mission. You have to design a new craft, a new approach. It requires more mass, a higher payload. Then a sample return mission is possible. The travel for coming back from the moon to the earth requires energy. We have to plan for that. We are in the process of thinking about it.

You have sent Aditya-L1 to study the sun’s corona, the solar flares, the solar winds etc. What made you choose the sun for study? Is it because “Without the sun, you cannot study the earth”?

The study of the sun is not a new thing. We have the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. It has a research group which is focused on the study of the sun. We have a solar observatory at Udaipur. It is under the PRL. There are ground-based observations of the sun happening regularly. There are multiple institutions such as the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) and others concentrating on sun-related studies.

Once a small team of scientists is there, it is good to look at the sun. Then the question of developing the instruments to study the sun came up. Three years ago, a discussion on how to develop these instruments began… From the time of U R Rao [former ISRO Chairman], discussions have been taking place. The idea is good but somebody has to develop the instruments.

Vikram Sarabhai was interested in the study of the sun.

Many missions to study the sun had already taken place. They were done the world-over by the Americans, the Europeans and others. We now have a little more understanding of the type of instruments needed to be built. We decided that our instruments must be unique in their ability to observe the sun. That is how the seven instruments were identified for Aditya L1. Solar coronagraph was developed by ISRO and the IIA. It looks at the solar corona, solar mass ejection etc. They help us in modelling the corona.

IUCAA’s instrument is for ultraviolet radiation. They have reasonable expertise in it. The VSSC, the PRL and others built the remaining instruments. The Space Physics Laboratory (SPL), Thiruvananthapuram, looks at the sun’s particles, its low-energy and high-energy X-rays, particle emissions, its magnetic influence and so on.

The importance of Aditya L1 is that it actually connects the solar emissions to particle emissions to X-ray emissions to magnetic influence. So there is a chain of connected events. In other missions, these types of [connected] measurements are not done. You measure coronal mass ejections and no other correlated measurements. If you do correlated measurements and there is a magnetic influence happening, I can relate to coronal mass ejections. This means these measurements are inter-related. They help in long-term predictions of the impact of such emissions on our sun.

What is the current status of the propulsion module of the Chandrayaan-3 mission? And what is its SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth) payload doing?

The propulsion module is going around the moon in a 100-km orbit. Its SHAPE payload is observing the earth… That data is being continuously collected.

With the success of the Mars orbiter, Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya L1 missions, will ISRO be concentrating more on interplanetary missions? Will you ask the private companies to build and launch application satellites?

Nothing like that. Scientific missions have been done by ISRO only. It may not have commercial value. If commercial values are there, industries will be interested. Otherwise, going to the moon and doing the sun mission, who will be interested? They are national missions with a certain objective of growing a scientific pool within the country and creating a certain capability. It has to be publicly funded. It cannot be private.

Of course, tomorrow, there is asteroid-mining and commercial opportunities are there, private companies will be interested. Private companies cannot work without profitability.

Another point you mentioned is whether all application-oriented satellites will be launched by private companies. That may not be possible because it goes with commercial viability. If they are not commercially viable, they will not implement some of the technologies. We have to build advanced communication satellites, with R&D components. We will be building hundreds of satellites. We will look at [satellites with] synthetic aperture radars, which are scientific in nature than observation. Such things as strategic satellites, we will continue to build.

How do you view in totality the three Chandrayaan, the Mars Orbiter, and the Aditya-L1 missions?

Space has always been an inspirational domain for scientists who want to pursue a career in science, engineering and technology. Every young boy and girl will say that he or she wants to become an astronomer, astrophysicist, and so on. Their career will take them to many places. They are fascinated by celestial bodies… Space technology is such an inspirational domain. We also know it is a complex domain. For countries like India, there are questions being asked even today about its relevance. During Sarabhai’s time, there were a lot of such questions. These types of missions [to the moon, Mars and so on] will reduce the number of such questions.

When the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission landed on the moon, more than 8 million people tuned in for the event’s YouTube live-stream – a record for the site.

The landing was a win for India’s low-cost space engineering, and science, as well as a quiet initiative to rebrand India’s 54-year-old space agency as approachable, according to more than a dozen current and former employees, and 10 consultants and industry experts.

“ISRO used to be a very closed organization. There was hesitation in talking about its missions and somewhat of a culture of secrecy,” said Namrata Goswami, a space policy expert and professor at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. “Fast forward to 2023, I was surprised by the amount of transparency from them. That is very new, and very welcome.”

The stakes are high: the $400 billion global commercial space market is expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2030, but at the moment India has only a 2% share – about $8 billion – which the government wants to change. India expects to have a $40 billion worth of slice of the pie by 2040, the government has said.

Also Read | Why did Chandrayaan-3 land on the near side of the moon? 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on the agency to make India into a profitable space superpower. To get there, the country needs to rope in young scientists, startups, investors, and private industry partners, none of whom respond well to a closed-off approach, senior ISRO scientists said.

“The point is to be open and engage the next generation,” said BHM Darukesha 49, who drafts and manages ISRO’s social media posts. “We want people to see us as friendly. … This represents a new focus at ISRO.”

That has caught the attention of university students who might otherwise have steered clear of the industry. Sruthi Parupudi, 18, who is studying interaction design in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, said she had long been interested in space, but thought such careers were closed off to non-scientists.

“Now I see the many facets of the industry open up,” she said. “I stand a chance to work with ISRO, being a design student.”

Watch | Chandrayaan-3’s journey from the orbit to Moon’s surface

ISRO insiders credit S. Somanath, who took over as chairman in 2022, as being instrumental in getting everyone at the organisation onboard with the changes. Many scientists initially worried about job security and ISRO’s relevance after opening the sector to private industry, said seven senior scientists, who did not wish to be named because they are not authorised to talk to media.

Somanath said he implemented other small changes, such as encouraging break time, informal problem-solving chats and refreshment kiosks where employees can meet for tea. His goal was to make it all add up to a more attractive place to work and partner with.

“These small things that global companies have are not automatically available in government organisations all the time, and these are important for young people, whom we want to attract as we expand our reach,” Somanath said. “Many ideas can be discussed better over a cup of tea.”

Employees and experts say that they have felt more autonomy, and that a new atmosphere of straight talk helps projects move faster. Publicising ISRO scientists’ achievements has given them more confidence and brought space startups to the door, asking for guidance as they plan private launches.

A more responsive agency makes such partnerships more attractive, private space insiders say.

“Private industry does not need help, they need predictability,” said D S Govindrajan, president of Aniara Communications, which provides satellite services for emerging markets. “That kind of predictability is certainly there now.”

Also Read | After Chandrayaan-3, what has ISRO planned? 

Above and beyond

From its humble beginnings – stories of scientists’ using a church as a “mission control room” for the agency’s first launch and transporting rocket parts by bicycle are legendary in the country – ISRO has hit recent highs, becoming the first nation to land a rover on the moon’s south pole.

It has now set sights on studying the sun, putting astronauts in orbit, exploring Venus, and is a partner with NASA for planetary defence and deep space exploration.

“Space is a critical place through which you ascertain yourself as a superpower. The U.S. is there, China is there, so India has to be there,” said Ashok Sharma, visiting fellow at the University of New South Wales, Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Modi’s government, heading for elections next year, is pushing the development of India’s space industry. Insiders say he has shown a personal interest in inviting foreign investment in the sector.

“He wants space to do what India has been able to do with IT,” a person familiar with discussions between the prime minister’s office and the industry said. The person declined to be named because the discussions are not public.

Also Read | Vikram hops on the Moon and lands safely

The government is widely expected to open the doors to foreign investment in the sector this year. ISRO will focus on exploration and new science, while three different bodies – the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and the Indian Space Association (ISpA) – will interact the private sector, negotiate launches and boost business.

There are many obstacles: space launches are dominated by established companies and organisations, and a costly failure or economic downturn could undo the momentum.

“You are using public money, so you have to show the public what the money is being used for,” said Somak Raychaudhury, an astrophysicist and vice chancellor at Ashoka University.

But for now, the increased openness has led to optimism that the positive changes will be long-lived.

“People can now see scientists are normal human beings, and in some ways, maybe that can inspire young minds to study science further,” Raychaudhury said.

Bengaluru:

When the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission landed on the moon, more than 8 million people tuned in for the event’s YouTube live-stream – a record for the site.

The landing was a win for India’s low-cost space engineering, and science, as well as a quiet initiative to rebrand the 54-year-old space agency as approachable, according to more than a dozen current and former employees, and 10 consultants and industry experts.

“ISRO used to be a very closed organization. There was hesitation in talking about its missions and somewhat of a culture of secrecy,” said Namrata Goswami, a space policy expert and professor at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. “Fast forward to 2023, I was surprised by the amount of transparency from them. That is very new, and very welcome.”

The stakes are high: the $400 billion global commercial space market is expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2030, but at the moment India has only a 2% share – about $8 billion – which the government wants to change. India expects to have a $40 billion worth of slice of the pie by 2040, the government has said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on the agency to make India into a profitable space superpower. To get there, the country needs to rope in young scientists, startups, investors, and private industry partners, none of whom respond well to a closed-off approach, senior ISRO scientists said.

“The point is to be open and engage the next generation,” said BHM Darukesha 49, who drafts and manages ISRO’s social media posts. “We want people to see us as friendly. … This represents a new focus at ISRO.”

That has caught the attention of university students who might otherwise have steered clear of the industry. Sruthi Parupudi, 18, who is studying interaction design in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, said she had long been interested in space, but thought such careers were closed off to non-scientists.

“Now I see the many facets of the industry open up,” she said. “I stand a chance to work with ISRO, being a design student.”

ISRO insiders credit S. Somanath, who took over as chairman in 2022, as being instrumental in getting everyone at the organisation onboard with the changes. Many scientists initially worried about job security and ISRO’s relevance after opening the sector to private industry, said seven senior scientists, who did not wish to be named because they are not authorised to talk to media.

Mr Somanath said he implemented other small changes, such as encouraging break time, informal problem-solving chats and refreshment kiosks where employees can meet for tea. His goal was to make it all add up to a more attractive place to work and partner with.

“These small things that global companies have are not automatically available in government organisations all the time, and these are important for young people, whom we want to attract as we expand our reach,” Mr Somanath said. “Many ideas can be discussed better over a cup of tea.”

Employees and experts say that they have felt more autonomy, and that a new atmosphere of straight talk helps projects move faster. Publicising ISRO scientists’ achievements has given them more confidence and brought space startups to the door, asking for guidance as they plan private launches.

A more responsive agency makes such partnerships more attractive, private space insiders say.

“Private industry does not need help, they need predictability,” said D S Govindrajan, president of Aniara Communications, which provides satellite services for emerging markets. “That kind of predictability is certainly there now.”

Above And Beyond

From its humble beginnings – stories of scientists’ using a church as a “mission control room” for the agency’s first launch and transporting rocket parts by bicycle are legendary in the country – ISRO has hit recent highs, becoming the first nation to land a rover on the moon’s south pole.

It has now set sights on studying the sun, putting astronauts in orbit, exploring Venus, and is a partner with NASA for planetary defence and deep space exploration.

“Space is a critical place through which you ascertain yourself as a superpower. The U.S. is there, China is there, so India has to be there,” said Ashok Sharma, visiting fellow at the University of New South Wales, Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

PM Modi’s government, heading for elections next year, is pushing the development of India’s space industry. Insiders say he has shown a personal interest in inviting foreign investment in the sector.

“He wants space to do what India has been able to do with IT,” a person familiar with discussions between the prime minister’s office and the industry said. The person declined to be named because the discussions are not public.

The government is widely expected to open the doors to foreign investment in the sector this year. ISRO will focus on exploration and new science, while three different bodies – the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and the Indian Space Association (ISpA) – will interact the private sector, negotiate launches and boost business.

There are many obstacles: space launches are dominated by established companies and organisations, and a costly failure or economic downturn could undo the momentum.

“You are using public money, so you have to show the public what the money is being used for,” said Somak Raychaudhury, an astrophysicist and vice chancellor at Ashoka University.

But for now, the increased openness has led to optimism that the positive changes will be long-lived.

“People can now see scientists are normal human beings, and in some ways, maybe that can inspire young minds to study science further,” Mr Raychaudhury said.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had shared a video of the Pragyan rover being rotated on the surface of the moon that was captured by a Lander Image Camera. The rover was put into sleep mode on September 2.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) S. Somanath on Thursday said the Pragyan rover of its moon mission Chandrayaan-3 has done what it was expected to do, and it would not be a problem even if it fails to `wake up’ from the current sleep mode.

The national space agency is now gearing up for XPoSat or X-ray Polarimeter Satellite launch which may take place in November or December, he said at a press conference here after visiting the famous Somnath temple in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat.

On the status of Pragyan, currently in sleep mode on the moon, the ISRO chief said it will wake up if its electronic circuits have not been damaged due to the extreme weather on the moon as the temperature dipped nearly 200 degrees Celsius below zero.

“It is OK if it does not wake up because the rover has done what it was expected to do,” he added.

ISRO had said last week that with dawn breaking on moon, it made efforts to establish communication with lunar mission Chandrayaan-3’s lander Vikram and rover Pragyan to ascertain their ‘wake-up condition’ after they had been put into sleep mode early this month, but no signals were being received.

Both the lander and rover were put into sleep mode on September 4 and 2, ahead of the lunar night setting in.

Talking about upcoming missions, Mr. Somanath said ISRO is now gearing up for XPoSat or X-ray Polarimeter Satellite.

“This XpoSat is ready and it will be launched through our PSLV rocket. Though we have not announced any dates yet, it may be launched in November or December. It is a mission to study black holes, nebulas and pulsars,” he said.

Another mission in the pipeline is INSAT-3DS, a climate satellite which will be launched in December, said Mr. Somanath.

“Then we will launch SSLV D3. As you know it is our Small Satellite Launch Vehicle. This is the third launch. It will be done in November or December. Then it will be the turn of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar or NISAR. It will be launched in February next year,” he added.

The Gaganyaan mission’s test vehicle `D1′ will be launched in October, he said.