New Delhi, August 12th, 2023: As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) advances on its lunar journey, a Russian spacecraft, launched on Friday, has embarked on a lunar mission of its own. Set to land near the moon’s southern pole around August 23, the Luna-25 spacecraft is in a synchronous pursuit with India’s Chandrayaan-3.
In contrast to ISRO’s approach, the Russian lander and rover, launched about four weeks later, are on track to establish a lunar orbit of 100 kilometers by August 16. Their goal is to potentially execute a landing near the moon’s south pole between August 21 and 23. There is a reasonable possibility that the Russian spacecraft could achieve its lunar landing before Chandrayaan-3. However, beyond the timing of the landing, the two missions differ in their designs and objectives.
One aspect that has intrigued observers is how the Russian spacecraft managed to cover the 384,000-kilometer distance to the moon in just six to seven days, outpacing ISRO’s month-long journey. This variation arises from ISRO’s unique approach in comparison to other global space agencies such as Russia, China, and the US. India follows a phased approach, spanning up to 40 days, rather than a direct trajectory.
ISRO’s lunar path involves launching its rocket from Sriharikota, placing the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit around Earth. Through a series of controlled maneuvers, scientists at ISTRAC in Bengaluru incrementally elevate the spacecraft’s orbit. This process continues until Chandrayaan-3’s orbit aligns with the lunar poles. This intricate sequence culminated in the spacecraft being successfully placed into lunar orbit on August 5. Subsequent adjustments will further refine its orbit, ultimately aiming for a soft landing attempt on the moon’s south pole region by August 23.
In contrast, Russia’s spacecraft takes a more direct route to the moon’s trans-lunar orbit, resulting in a quicker journey compared to India’s method.
The primary reason for this contrast lies in the powerful rockets owned by other spacefaring nations, like Russia, China, and the US. Rockets such as Russia’s Soyuz 2.1, China’s Long March series, and SpaceX’s Falcon series possess substantial fuel capacity and advanced engines. These rockets can propel spacecraft directly to the moon, bypassing extended orbits around Earth. In contrast, ISRO’s most robust rocket, the LVM-3 (GSLV MK3), has limited fuel capacity and thrust. Additionally, its payload constraints restrict its capability for swifter interplanetary missions.
While there’s a chance that Russia’s lunar spacecraft could complete its landing before Chandrayaan-3, both missions have distinct research goals and employ differing strategies. As of July 2023, six operational lunar orbiters exist, including Chandrayaan-2’s orbiter, launched in 2019.
