What Has India’s Chandrayaan Mission Achieved in Lunar Exploration?

 Chandrayaan, the Sanskrit word for “Moon Vehicle,” is the name of the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) lunar exploration program. Chandrayaan has been the dream mission and the brainchild of Dr. K Sivan, the former chairman of ISRO.

Source- swarajya  What Is the Chandrayaan Mission? It consists of a series of spacecraft missions aimed at studying the Moon. The Chandrayaan missions have contributed valuable insights to our understanding of the Moon's composition and history. Background The lunar exploration mission started from Chandrayaan-1, which was launched in 2008 and discovered water molecules on the lunar surface. This was followed by Chandrayaan-2, launched in 2019, which included an orbiter, a lander named Vikram, and a rover named Pragyan. The latest addition to the list is Chandrayaan-3, which successfully landed on the moon’s surface on August 23, 2023. About ISRO – The Pride of India Source - Jagran ISRO stands for The Indian Space Research Organization, a space agency operated under the Government of India. Established in 1969, ISRO is responsible for India's space research and exploration efforts. It has achieved several notable milestones in space technology and exploration. Some of its achievements include launching satellites for communication, remote sensing, navigation, and scientific research.  ISRO's activities encompass satellite development, launch vehicle technology, space science research, and international collaboration in space endeavours.  The organisation's primary goal is to harness space technology for various applications that benefit India and contribute to advancements in space science. Some Notable Milestones Achieved By ISRO Are - Launch Vehicles ISRO developed and operationalized a series of indigenous launch vehicles, including the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). These rockets have successfully launched numerous satellites for India and other countries. Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission, also known as Mangalyaan, made India the fourth space agency to reach Mars and the first to do so in its maiden attempt. It successfully entered Mars' orbit and conducted scientific observations. Earth Observation Satellites ISRO has launched a range of Earth observation satellites for various purposes, including resource management, disaster management, environmental monitoring, and agricultural planning. Communication Satellites ISRO has built and launched a series of communication satellites that provide telecommunications, broadcasting, and broadband services across the country. These achievements highlight ISRO's contributions to space technology, exploration, and applications, both within India and on the global stage. Chandrayaan is also one of such achievements of ISRO which helped us to gain valuable insights about the Moon. Chandrayaan's Contribution and Journey from Failure to Success 1.   Chandrayaan-1 Launch - Chandrayaan-1 was launched aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C11) on October 22, 2008 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. Unexpected Discoveries - One of its most significant achievements was the discovery of water molecules on the lunar surface. This finding confirmed the presence of water in the form of ice in permanently shadowed craters near the Moon's poles. End of Mission - Unfortunately, Chandrayaan-1's mission ended prematurely on August 29, 2009, due to technical issues. Despite this, the data collected during its mission significantly advanced our understanding of the Moon's geology, mineralogy, and water distribution. Chandrayaan-1 was India's first lunar mission and made significant contributions to lunar science, even though its operational life was shorter than anticipated. 2.   Chandrayaan-2 Launch - Chandrayaan-2 was launched on July 22, 2019, aboard a GSLV Mk III-M1 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Failed Landing Attempt - On September 6, 2019, the Vikram lander's attempt to soft-land on the Moon's South Pole ended in communication loss during the final stages of descent. Orbiter Operations - Despite the setback, the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter continued to function successfully, conducting scientific observations and experiments to study the Moon's surface, composition, and atmosphere. The Chandrayaan-2 mission was a combination of successes and challenges. While the lander's attempt to make a soft landing did not go as planned, the orbiter has been providing valuable data since its arrival in lunar orbit. 3.   Chandrayaan-3 Launch - Chandrayaan-3 was launched aboard an LVM3-M4 rocket on July 14, 2023. Successful Landing - On August 23, 2023, the Vikram Lander successfully soft-landed on the Moon's South Pole. Historic Achievement - With Chandrayaan-3's success, India became the world's first country to reach the Moon's South Pole, a shadowed region believed to contain water ice. Final Thoughts In conclusion, Chandrayaan has made significant contributions to lunar science and space exploration. Despite facing challenges, the missions have achieved substantial success and provided crucial insights into our understanding of the Moon.  From Chandrayaan-1's groundbreaking discovery of lunar water to Chandrayaan-3's historic landing at the Moon's South Pole, these missions have showcased India's technological prowess and commitment to space exploration. The journey of Chandrayaan is a testament to how failures have been embraced and transformed into stepping stones towards success. Written By – Khwaaish Gupta