India is poised to embark on an intense and anxious twenty-minute journey as the Chandrayaan-3 mission attempts a delicate landing of the Vikram lander with the Pragyaan rover near the moon’s south pole. This pivotal moment has been coined the “twenty minutes of terror,” drawing parallels to the suspenseful climax of a T-20 cricket match.
Chandrayaan-3’s voyage has been a carefully orchestrated sequence of events. After a majestic launch, Chandrayaan-3 was strategically guided by ISRO’s Bahubali rocket, eventually entering the moon’s orbit and achieving stabilization. The propulsion module and Vikram lander parted ways in a complex maneuver, with the latter descending to an elliptical orbit in preparation for its powered descent.
The critical landing phase unfolds on landing day. From an altitude of 25 km, the Vikram lander initiates a powered descent, hurtling toward the lunar surface at an astonishing speed of 1.68 km per second. The lander begins a gradual slowdown in the “rough braking phase,” aiming to achieve vertical alignment with the lunar surface for the subsequent “fine braking phase.”
At 800 meters above the moon, horizontal and vertical velocities reach zero, allowing the lander to hover and survey the landing area. As it lowers to 150 meters, capturing images for hazard detection, the tension peaks. The final touchdown, executed with two engines firing, is engineered to withstand an impact of up to 3m/second.
Following a successful landing, the Pragyaan Rover disembarks, capturing historic images of the lander and vice versa. This monumental achievement not only places India as the fourth nation to land softly on a celestial body but also marks a triumphant milestone for the nation’s space endeavors.
With both the Vikram lander and rover designed for sustained operation throughout a lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days, the stage is set for groundbreaking scientific exploration. The journey of Chandrayaan-3 exemplifies India’s technological prowess and spirit of innovation, ushering in a new era of lunar exploration. As India takes its remarkable stride, it echoes the essence of unity and progress, encapsulating a monumental leap forward for a nation of 1.4 billion.
