Why Will Chandrayaan 3 mission Take More Than 40 Days to Reach the Moon ?

Why Will Chandrayaan 3 mission Take More Than 40 Days to Reach the Moon?

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently launched the Chandrayaan 3 mission, placing the module and lander into Earth's orbit within just 15 minutes of liftoff using the GSLV rocket.

Photo : Representative purpose only | Source: 'X' (Twitter)

But why will it take more than 40 days for Chandrayaan 3 mission to reach the Moon? ISRO has adopted a unique and efficient approach for this mission due to the limitations of the GSLV MK3 rocket. During the next two weeks, ISRO will use the onboard propulsion system to gradually increase the module's speed, pushing it further away from Earth's orbit.

This process will continue until the module is free from Earth's gravitational influence and on a trajectory towards the Moon. Around August 1, the Trans-lunar Injection (TLI) will occur, propelling the module out of Earth's orbit and on its way to the Moon.

Photo Source: 'X' (Twitter)

Chandrayaan 3 mission will achieve lunar orbit, and approximately 23 August is the estimated landing date on the Moon. So, why the more extended travel time?

The reason for Chandrayaan 3's journey taking longer is that ISRO does not possess a powerful rocket akin to the Apollo missions or China's Chang'e series. These missions utilized powerful rockets capable of propelling satellites directly toward the Moon.

In contrast, ISRO has employed a multi-step approach for Chandrayaan 3 mission, making use of Earth and Moon's gravitational forces. The spacecraft will initially enter Earth's orbit and execute a series of maneuvers to gradually increase its speed and change its trajectory towards the Moon.

The repeated burns of the propulsion system will effectively slingshot the module around Earth, gradually positioning it closer to the Moon's orbit. Each time it passes the closest point to Earth (perigee), the module's speed will be increased. Conversely, when it moves furthest from Earth (apogee), its speed will decrease. After several iterations of this process, the module will be large enough to escape Earth's orbit and head towards the Moon.

This approach may be slower, but it allows ISRO to accomplish the mission with the available resources and technology. Chandrayaan 3 missions will eventually reach the Moon's orbit, and after a series of maneuvers, it will land on the lunar surface, where the rover will emerge to conduct scientific exploration.

In comparison, the earlier Apollo missions, China's Chang'e 2, and Soviet Luna-1 employed powerful rockets that enabled them to reach their lunar destinations much more rapidly.

So, the extended duration for Chandrayaan 3's journey is due to ISRO's innovative approach and the capabilities of the GSLV MK3 rocket. This mission marks another significant step in India's space exploration endeavors and will contribute valuable data to our understanding of the Moon.

──── End ────