The final countdown for the Chandrayaan-3 mission has begun, with the anticipated landing of the lander module named Vikram on the lunar surface scheduled for slightly after 6 pm on Wednesday. A senior scientist from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has stated that the landing will proceed only if the conditions on that day are favorable. In case of unfavorable conditions, another attempt will be made on August 27.
On Sunday, the ISRO announced that Chandrayaan-3 is set to touch down on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023 (Wednesday), around 6:04 pm. With just three days left, the spacecraft is on the brink of achieving its primary objective – reaching the southern pole of the moon.
Nilesh M. Desai, the Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, mentioned that a decision regarding the landing will be made two hours prior, taking into consideration the health of the lander module and the lunar conditions. If any aspect is deemed unfavorable, the module’s landing will be rescheduled for August 27.
For those eager to witness the historic moment, the live stream of India’s third lunar mission will be available from 5:27 pm on August 23 through various platforms:
- ISRO website: Click here
- ISRO official YouTube channel: Click here
- ISRO official Facebook channel: Click here
- DD National TV
Despite the cautious approach, Desai expressed confidence in Vikram’s successful lunar landing as initially planned. If the landing is successful, India will join an elite group of nations, including the United States, Russia, and China, that have achieved a soft landing on the Moon.
Interestingly, with Russia’s recent Luna-25 mission failure, India has the opportunity to stand as the first country to accomplish a soft landing on the moon’s south pole – Chandrayaan-3’s designated target. The mission had commenced from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre on July 14.
