‘Chandrayaan 3 will land on the south pole of the Moon, even if things go wrong’: ISRO Chief

As India eagerly anticipates the arrival of the Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft at the Moon’s southern pole, some noteworthy insights about the Vikram lander were shared by S. Somanath, the head of ISRO.

He highlighted a crucial aspect: even in the event of the sensors and two engines of the lander encountering issues or failing catastrophically, it will have the capability to execute a secure lunar landing by August 23.

During an event focusing on ‘Chandrayaan 3: India’s Esteemed Space Expedition,’ organized by the nonprofit group Disha Bharat, Somanath elucidated that the design of the Vikram lander has been meticulously crafted to effectively handle potential challenges.

“Even if all the sensors stop working and everything else fails, Vikram will still be able to land. That’s the way it’s been designed, as long as the propulsion system is functioning correctly,” he said.

As per reports, subsequent to the “deboost” process, which reduces the craft’s speed, a manoeuvre to separate the lander’s propulsion module will be carried out. The next phase involves achieving a successful landing on the lunar surface by August 23.

He emphasized that the most critical obstacle for the ISRO team revolves around ensuring a seamless transition of the Vikram lander from a horizontal orientation to a vertical touchdown on the Moon’s surface.

Elaborating further, Somanath noted that once the lander disengages from the orbiter, it will start a lateral movement. By implementing a series of precisely controlled motions, the lander will be repositioned vertically for a safe and controlled landing on the Moon’s surface.

This process has some major significance, particularly in light of ISRO’s previous fateful attempt to accomplish a successful touchdown on the lunar surface during the Chandrayaan 2 mission.