In this article, we discuss Chandrayaan 3 status and Chandrayaan 3 location, Chandrayaan 3 was launched on 14 July 2023 and the lander Vikram will land on the moon’s south pole on 23 August 2023. After the launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Shri Harikota Chandrayaan 3 has to follow these trajectories to reach the moon’s South Pole. Before we know Chandrayaan 3 status and Chandrayaan 3 location discuss this path, which will be completed in 42 days by Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft.
(1) Injection Orbit: After launch, Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft has to enter into the injection orbit, where Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft has to orbit the Earth 5 times at an increasing distance from the Earth.
(2) Lunar Transfer Trajectory: After Injection Orbit, Chandrayaan 3 will enter into Lunar Transfer Trajectory.
(3) Lunar Orbit Insertion: In this step, Chandrayaan 3 will enter into lunar orbit and start rotating around the moon at a reduced distance toward the moon,
(4) Landing: The landing of Lander Vikram of Chandrayaan 3 is expected on 23 August 2024 at 5;47 p.m. IST on the South Pole of the moon at 69.367621 S, 32.348126 E after 42 days of launch.
Chandrayaan 3 is the live track by ISTRAC ISRO, Bengaluru, and all the important commands are also given from this place to Chandrayaan 3.
Chandrayaan 3 status: Live tracking and Location and Chandrayaan 3 Update
Chandrayaan 3 Update on 24 January 2024
Update: Chandrayaan 2 orbiter helps in landing of JAXA’s SLIM lander on 19 January 2024. Chandrayaan 2 mission launch in 2019 failed due to its lander crashed during a soft landing but the orbiter of Chandrayaan 2 is alive and it also helped in the soft landing of the Chandrayaan 3 lander rover. Chandrayaan 2 orbiter is currently orbiting the moon and still has fuel for 2 years from now.
The propulsion module of Chandrayaan 3 returns from the moon and orbiting Earth. The return journey of the propulsion module is not planned in Chadnrayaan 3 mission objective, the return journey from the moon to earth is part of the Chandrayaan 4 mission, ISRO experimented Chandrayaan 4 mission. For the latest Chandrayaan 3 Update please visit us.
You should know all about the Chandrayaan 4 mission: Chandrayaan 4: Unlocking Lunar Mysteries Beyond Soft Landing
Chandrayaan 3 Status on 19 January 2024
NASA’s Spacecraft sends a laser beam message to Vikram Lander
NASA’s Spacecraft LRO ( Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter ) transmitted a laser beam from 100 km distance to Vikram Lander and Vikram Lander reflected the laser beam to the LRO. This experiment was conducted by NASA on December 12, 2023, at 3 p.m. EST but NASA published this report on 19 January 2024.
The Vikram Lander is equipped with a NASA payload known as LRA (Laser Retroreflector Array). Its purpose is to identify an incoming laser and reflect the laser light toward its source, this payload does not require any power to operate. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) directed its laser beam toward Vikram’s LRA payload, and the LRA reflected the laser beam to the LRO. You can see the pic of the LRA payload below.
Propulsion Module (PM) return to Earth Orbit ( 04 December 2023)
Chandrayaan 3 live tracking: Chandrayaan 3’s Propulsion Module (PM) moved back from the orbit of the moon to the orbit of the Earth.
1st maneuver of PM was performed on 9 October 2023 and raised the apolune altitude of 5112 km from 150 km. The TEI (The Trans Earthinjection) maneuver was performed on 13 October 2023. For Chandrayaan 3 status visit us regularly.
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The outcome of this Experiment
- Designing and implementing the path and maneuvers for the return journey from the Moon to Earth.
- Creating a software module for the planning of the aforementioned maneuver and conducting its initial validation.
- Preventing uncontrolled impact of the PM on the lunar surface at the end of its operational life to ensure compliance with the no-debris creation requirements.
Chandrayaan 3 update in September
The latest update of Chandrayaan 3 status is in September 2023, Chandrayaan 3 lander Vikram is still alive and doing his job to understand the moon!
Vikram Lander has a payload on board provided by NASA known as LRA ( Laser Retroreflector Array ), and it was designed to detect reflected laser light from orbiting spacecraft laser or as LIDAR ( Light Detection and Ranging ) to precisely locate the location of the lander.
NASA equipped Vikram Lander with a Lunar Retroreflector Array (LRA), which consists of eight small, circular corner-cube retroreflectors. These retroreflectors are mounted on a gold-painted platform that is 5.11 cm in diameter and 1.65 cm high. Each retroreflector is positioned in a slightly different direction and can efficiently reflect light within an angle range of approximately +-20 degrees. The entire mass of this reflective system is 20 grams, and it operates without needing any power source.
On 22 September 2023, ISRO tried to wake up Rover Pragyan but it missed the wake-up call, ISRO gave many wake-up calls to Pragyan Rover but it didn’t wake up. Now Pragyan Rover represents the ambassador of India on the Lunar surface.
Now India is getting ready for the Chandrayaan-4 mission which is also known as LUPEX mission in collaboration with JAXA, Japan’s space agency.
Rover Pragyan and Lander Vikram are currently in a dormant state and are scheduled to awaken on September 22, 2023.
Rover Pragyan completed its assignment
Chandrayaan 3 status: Chandrayaan 3 live updates: Rover Pragyan its assignment and its life span of 1 lunar day equivalent to 14 days of the Earth on 2 September 2023 now it is safely parked and set into sleep mode. APXS and LIBS payloads are turned off and Data from payloads of Rover Pragyan is transmitted to the Earth via Lander Vikram. The battery of Rover Pragyan is fully charged and the solar panel is oriented to receive the light at the next sunrise which is expected on 22 September 2023. Hoping for a successful awakening for another 1 lunar day or 14 days on the Earth, or it will stay forever there as India’s lunar ambassador.
Rover Pragyan completed 100 meters on the moon
Chandrayaan 3 status: Rover Pragyan traversed 100 meters on the moon’s south pole on September 2, 2023.
Lander Vikram’s In-situ experiments
Chandrayaan 3 live status: On August 31, 2023, an onboard payload of Lander Vikram’s “Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere – Langmuir Probe (RAMBHA-LP) ” made first-ever measurements of the near-surface Lunar plasma environment over the south polar region. The initial result of this experiment shows that the plasma near the lunar surface is relatively sparse.
Rover Pragyan’s In-situ experiments started
Chandrayaan 3 live tracking: Rover Pragyan in-situ (on-site) experiments started.
Pragyan onboard payload LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope) instrument confirms the presence of Sulphur (S) on the lunar surface near the south pole, and this is the first-ever in situ experiment on the lunar pole. Al, Ca, Fe, Cr, Ti, Mn, Si, and O are also detected, as expected, and the search for Hydrogen (H) is still continuing……. If Rover finds it, it will update this Chandrayaan 3 live tracking article. LIBS instrument is developed at the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS)/ISRO, Bengaluru.
Read also Chandrayaan 4: India and Japan getting ready for LUPEX
Lander Vikram drilled the lunar soil and found temperature variation
Chandrayaan 3 status: On 27 August 2023, ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment ) payload onboard Vikram Lander measures the temperature profile of the lunar topsoil around the south pole, to understand the thermal behavior of the moon’s surface. It has a temperature probe equipped with a controlled penetration mechanism capable of reaching a depth of 10 cm beneath the surface. The probe is fitted with 10 individual temperature sensors. The presented graph illustrates the temperature variation of the lunar surface/near-surface at various depths, as recorded during the probe’s penetration. This is the first such profile for the lunar south pole.
Read also SLIM: Japan’s Chandrayaan 3 like mission to the Moon
Rover Pragyan sends pictures of the lunar south pole region
On August 27, 2023, the Rover Pragyan sent some pictures of a 4-meter diameter crater positioned 3 meters ahead of its location. The Rover was commanded to retrace the path. It’s now safely heading on a new path.
The Landing Site of Chandrayaan 3 is renamed
The landing site of Chandrayaan 3 is renamed “Shiv Shakti Point” and the crashed point of the previous mission Chandrayaan 2 is renamed “Tiranga Point“. It was renamed by Indian Prime Minister “Narendra Modi” and 23 August will be celebrated as “National Space Day” every year.
Pragyan Rover comes out the Lander
Pragyan Rover comes out of the Lander Vikram after the successful soft-landing of the Lander. Now the Rover Pragyan will be alive for only 1 lunar day which is equivalent to 14 days on Earth. Because where the Lander Vikram landed is the south pole region of the moon and at night the temperature of that region goes in many centigrade degrees in minus so Rover Pragyan and Lander are not able to withstand that temperature that’s why it will only work for 1 day on a lunar day and for maximum utilization of time Lander Vikram of Chandrayaan 3 landed in morning time on the lunar south pole region.
Landing on the moon and making history
Chandrayaan 3 status: Chandrayaan 3 is landing on the moon at 6:04 PM Today! Go and watch live on the official YouTube channel of ISRO.
Plan B: If there is an unfavorable situation arises in the Landing Module (Lander Vikram) then ISRO postpone the landing on 27 August.
Chandrayaan 3 landing delayed
Chandrayaan 3 status: Luna 25 of Russia is crashed now Chandrayaan 3 is more careful and delayed its landing process by around 17 minutes it will land at 6:04 PM IST on 23 August
Landing Module (Lander Vikram) is now in the last reduced orbit
Chandrayaan 3 live tracking: on 20 August 2023, at 1:50 Hrs IST the Landing Module (Lander Vikram) is now in orbit of 25 km x 134 km means the nearest distance between the moon and Lander Vikram is 25 km, and farthest distance between the moon and the Lander Vikram is 134 km after final deboosting operation.
The module will go through internal checks and patiently wait for the sunrise at the planned landing spot. The exciting powered descent is scheduled to start around 5:45 PM IST on August 23, 2023.
Landing Module (LM) Reduced its orbit
Chandrayaan 3 status: On 18 August 2023, at 15:50 Hrs IST the language model (LM) just completed a successful maneuver in space that brought it to a lower orbit, specifically at an altitude of 113 kilometers x 157 kilometers above the moon’s surface. The next step in this process is another planned adjustment, which is set to take place on August 20, 2023, around 2:00 AM Indian Standard Time (IST). This maneuver aims to further decrease the LM’s orbital altitude.
Landing Module Separated
Chandrayaan 3 status: Landing Module (LM) of Chandrayaan 3 is separated from Propulsion Module (PM) on 17 August 2023 at 13:15 Hrs IST at 153 km x 163 km of the lunar orbit, and Landing Module is set to descend to a lower orbit on 18 August 2023 around 1600 Hrs, IST.
Lunar Maneuvers Complete
Chandrayaan 3 Update: On 16 August 2023, Chandrayaan 3 was put into 153 km x 163 km orbit, this is the last lunar bound maneuvres, and now Lander Module will separate from Propulsion Module on 17 August 2023 around 1 Pm lST, and then Lander Module will approach towards Lunar South Pole and Propulsion Module will revolve around the Moon and act as a communication link between the Lander Vikram, Rover Pragyan and the Earth.
Lunar Orbit Circularsation Phase
Chandrayaan 3 status: on 14 August 2023, at 11:50 Hrs IST lunar orbit circularisation phase commences precis maneuver performed and achieved a near-circular orbit of 150 x 177 km.
Chandrayaan 3 2nd Lunar orbit reducation
Chandrayaan 3 latest update on 9 August 2023, at 13:30 Hrs IST: Chandrayaan 3 orbit is reduced 2nd time, now it is in an orbit of 174 km x 1437 km, which means the farthest point from the moon or apogee is 1437 km, and the closest to the moon or perigee is 174 km. The next maneuver is scheduled on 14 August, 2023 between 11:30 and 12:30 Hrs IST.
Read also Russia’s Luna 25 Chasing Chandrayaan 3 to land on lunar South Pole
Chandrayaan 3 1st Lunar orbit reducation
Chandrayaan 3 Status: On 6 August 2023 at 23:00 Hrs IST the spacecraft successfully completed a planned maneuver to lower its orbit. By firing its engines in the opposite direction of its motion, it has moved closer to the Moon’s surface. The new orbit now ranges from 170 km x 4313 km.
The next step to continue lowering the orbit is set to take place on August 9, 2023, sometime between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
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Chandrayaan 3 inserted into the lunar orbit
On 5 August 2023 at 19:15 IST, Chandrayaan 3 has been successfully inserted into Lunar Orbit, now Chandrayaan Spacecraft in an orbit of 164 x 18074 km. The next orbit-reduction operation is planned on 6 August 2023, around 23:00 Hrs IST.
Chandrayaan 3 has accomplished a significant milestone by executing Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI). This crucial maneuver involved retro-burning at the Perilune for 1835 seconds, commencing at 19:12 Hrs IST.
As the mission moves ahead, a sequence of planned maneuvers is set to gently lower Chandrayaan 3’s orbit, eventually positioning it above the lunar poles. After some careful adjustments, the propulsion module will separate from the lander while both are in orbit. Afterward, a series of intricate braking maneuvers will be carried out to help achieve a gentle landing of Lander Vikram in the South Polar region of the Moon on August 23, 2023.
The spacecraft is in good health, and its condition is under constant watch from the Mission Operation Complex (MOX) at ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) using the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antenna in Byalalu, Bengaluru. This monitoring is supported by ESA and JPL’s Deep Space antenna to ensure everything is on track.
Chandrayaan 3 covered 2/3 of the distance to the moon
Chandrayaan 3 update: on 4 August 2023, at 14:00 Hrs IST Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft covered about 2/3rd the distance to the moon, and Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) is set for 5 Aug 2023, around 19:00 Hrs IST.
Chandrayaan 3 put into Trans Lunar Injection trajectory
Chandrayaan 3 put into the Trans Lunar Injection trajectory on 1 August at 00:15 Hrs IST and started its 3.8 lakh km long journey to the Moon. Chandrayaan 3 will enter into Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) on August 5. Chandrayaan 3 status is frequently updated so stay in orbit by subscribing to notifications for lattes updates of Chandrayaan 3 and other missions
Chandrayaan 3 into Lunar Transfer Trajectory image source: ISRO
Chandrayaan 3 raised in the 5th Earth orbit
Chandrayaan 3 location on July 25, 2023, at 2:30 pm IST Chandrayaan 3 successfully raised in the 5th earth orbit of 127,607 km x 236 km around the Earth, which means the farthest point from Earth or apogee is 127,607 km and closest to the Earth or perigee is 236 km. these orbit-raising maneuvers (Earthbound firing) were performed from ISTRAC Bengaluru.
next step is to transfer Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft in TransLunar Injection (TLI) by firing on August 1 between 12 midnight to 1 am at Indian Standard Time (IST).
Chandrayaan 3 raised in the 4th Earth orbit
Chandrayaan3 status on 22 July 2023, at 6:45 Hrs IST Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft raised in 4th orbit ( Earth-bound perigee firing ) of 71351 km x 233 km.
Raised in the 2nd Earth orbit
On July 17 Chandrayaan 3 was raised in the 2nd Earth orbit of 41,603 km x 226 km, this means Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft is closest to the Earth at 226 km away and farthest is at a distance of 41,603 km.
Raised in the 1st Earth Orbit
Chandrayaan 3 status on 15 July 2023, 1st orbit-raising maneuver (Earthbound firing-1) is successfully performed. Spacecraft in orbit of 41762 km x 173 km
Chandrayaan 3 Launched
Chandrayaan 3 was launched by LVM3 M4 rocket on 14 July 2024, at 02:35 pm IST from the 2nd launched pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shri Harikota.
Announcement of the Launch date of Chandrayaan 3
On 6 July 2023, the launch date was made public 1to launch Chandrayaan 3 on 14 July 2023.
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What is ISTRAC
ISTRAC ( ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network ) is located in Bengaluru, its major responsibility is to provide live tracking and support to all the satellite and launch vehicle missions of ISRO.
The main objective of the ISTRAC is to handle the missions of all the operational remote sensing and scientific satellites. This includes tasks like operating the satellites, gathering data from them, and conducting scientific research. Additionally, the center is responsible for providing Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TTC) services throughout the entire process, starting from the moment the launch vehicle takes off until the satellite is successfully placed into its intended orbit. In simpler terms, the center takes care of satellite operations and ensures they work properly, while also managing communication and control from the moment of launch until they reach their designated positions in space.
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What will be called the landing site of Chandrayaan 3?
The landing site of Chandrayaan 3 will be called “Shiv Shakti point”
What will be called the landing point of Chandrayaan 2?
Chandrayaan 2 landing point will be called “Tiranga Point”.