Chandrayaan-3: A Simplified Timeline Of ISRO’s 3rd Lunar Mission

Ahead of the historic launch of Chandrayaan-3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said July 14, 2023 will always be etched in golden letters in the annals of India’s space sector history.

New Delhi: India launched its third unmanned mission to the moon today as the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle lifted off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota at scheduled launch time of 2:35 PM (IST).

The journey from Earth to the moon for the spacecraft is estimated to take about a month and the landing is expected on August 23. Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days.

Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country after US, China, and Russia, to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the country’s abilities for safe and soft landing on lunar surface.

Ahead of the historic launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said July 14, 2023 will always be etched in golden letters in the annals of India’s space sector history. “This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation,” PM Modi tweeted.

Here’s a brief and simplified timeline of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission:

• Launch – Chandrayaan 3 was scheduled to launch at 2:35pm on Friday. In case of exigencies, its launch window however extends till July 19.
• 2xS200 Ignition – Rocket engines ignite at 0 seconds.
• L110 Ignition – L110 engines ignite at 108 seconds.
• 2xS200 Separation – Two side boosters (2xS200) detach at 127 seconds.
• PLF Separation – Payload fairing separates at 195 seconds.
• L110 Separation – L110 engines separate at 306 seconds.
• C25 Ignition – C25 engine ignites at 308 seconds.
• C25 Shut-off – C25 engine shuts down at 954 seconds.
• Satellite Separation – The satellite separates from the rocket at 969 seconds.
• Voyage to the moon – The module will travel for about a month to reach the moon after it is launched.
• Moon landing – The landing is planned for August 23-24, but this could change based on the moon’s sunrise. If there’s a delay, ISRO will reschedule the landing for September.

Latest updates shared by ISRO revealed that Chandrayaan-3 is in its precise orbit and has begun its journey to the moon. “Chandrayaan-3, in its precise orbit, has begun its journey to the Moon. Health of the Spacecraft is normal,” ISRO said.

Hailing India’s ground-breaking lunar mission, PM Modi said the country first moon mission, Chandrayaan-1 is globally considered a path breaker as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon and was featured in over 200 scientific publications across the world.

“Thanks to our scientists, India has a very rich history in the space sector. Chandrayaan-1 is considered to be a path breaker among global lunar missions as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon. It featured in over 200 scientific publications around the world,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter.