India’s Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Launches, Aims to Become Fourth Country to Land on Moon

India’s third lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan-3, successfully lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, according to the predetermined launch schedule. This mission aims to establish India as the fourth country to achieve a spacecraft landing on the moon, showcasing the nation’s capability for a safe and gentle touchdown on the lunar surface.

The GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle was employed to launch the spacecraft. It is estimated that the journey from Earth to the moon will take approximately a month, with the anticipated landing date set for August 23. Following the landing, the spacecraft will operate for one lunar day, equivalent to about 14 Earth days.

Chandrayaan-3 serves as the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) subsequent endeavor following the challenges encountered during the soft landing phase of the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019.