Chandrayaan-3 landing: All about ISRO spacecraft's Tamil Nadu connect, scientific payload

Chandrayaan-3 landing: This remarkable trio's involvement emphasizes the notable Tamil contribution to India's lunar exploration journey, signifying their dedication to advancing space exploration and nurturing the country's scientific prowess.

Team Newsable

First Published Aug 23, 2023, 1:57 PM IST | Last Updated Aug 23, 2023, 1:57 PM IST

The culmination of relentless dedication by ISRO's scientists, India's third lunar mission stands as a testament to their unwavering efforts. As the anticipated landing of the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover approaches, it's intriguing to explore the Tamil connection inherent within the ISRO spacecraft. Adding to Chandrayaan-3's uniqueness is the scientific payload integrated within the propulsion module.

Delving into the Tamil connection of the Chandrayaan mission unveils the significant contributions of three scientists hailing from Tamil Nadu. Each of these individuals played pivotal roles in steering India's lunar exploration endeavors. Dubbed as the 'Moon Man of India,' Mayilsamy Annadurai steered the inaugural Chandrayaan mission in 2008. M Vanitha, the second scientist, commanded the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019. Currently, M Veeramuthuvel is at the helm of the ongoing Chandrayaan-3 Mission.

Chandrayaan-3: 'All set to initiate landing,' says ISRO; releases control room photos

This remarkable trio's involvement emphasizes the notable Tamil contribution to India's lunar exploration journey, signifying their dedication to advancing space exploration and nurturing the country's scientific prowess.

Following Chandrayaan-3's successful launch on July 14 at 2:35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Veeramuthuvel swiftly returned to the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru to diligently monitor the rocket's trajectory.

Speaking to the media, he conveyed that he would only provide insights once he could ensure the landing module's safe touchdown on the lunar surface—an anticipated event slated for August 23 at 6:04 pm.

Beyond these three eminent scientists, it's crucial to acquaint ourselves with the 'SHAPE' payload, a key component aboard the propulsion module. This acronym signifies the Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth. This experimental payload, an integral aspect of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, is poised to explore the spectro-polarimetric characteristics of Earth using the near-infrared wavelength range, as elucidated by ISRO.

Chandrayaan-3 landing: Former Pak minister who mocked ISRO now praises moon mission, calls it 'historic'

Delving into fundamental queries pertinent to the cosmos, the payload embarks on an exploration of intriguing subjects such as the disc-integrated spectrum of an Earth-like exo-planet and the disc-integrated 'polarisation' originating from a comparable exo-planet, according to insights provided by ISRO.

Marking a significant stride in India's lunar journey, a pivotal milestone was reached on August 17. During this juncture, the lander module—housing the rover within—was disengaged from the propulsion module, which concurrently bears the essential SHAPE payload. This specialized payload comprises a Radio Frequency source-powered Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter element, accompanied by a pair of Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) detectors.

For more reliable and latest news

subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.