Chandrayaan-3 may be launched during third quarter of 2022

Chandrayaan-3 is in a matured stage of realization, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh informed Parliament on Wednesday.

Chandrayaan-3 may be launched during the third quarter of 2022, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh informed Parliament on Wednesday.

"The realization of Chandrayaan-3 involves various processes, including finalization of configuration, integration, spacecraft level detailed testing, subsystems realization and a number of special tests to assess system performance on earth. The Covid-19 pandemic hampered the realization progress," the minister said.

All the work that could be managed from home was done during the lockdown period. The realization progress on Chandrayaan-3 resumed after commencement of unlock period and is in matured stage of realization," he further said in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission

The mission will involve a lander and a small rover similar to Chandrayaan-2, India's second mission to the Moon. However, there would be no orbiter. 

The 2019 Chandrayaan-2 mission successfully put an orbiter around the Moon. Chandrayaan-3 is expected to target the Lunar South Pole, around 70.9 degrees south of the lunar equator. 

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter will operate as a communications relay for the Chandrayaan-3 lander.

A successful Chandrayaan-3 will make India the fourth country to successfully soft-land on the Moon.