India’s highly anticipated lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3, is poised for a momentous soft landing on the moon’s surface, scheduled for tomorrow at 6:04 pm. However, the final 17 minutes leading up to the landing have been characterized as a period of heightened tension, often referred to as the “17 minutes of terror,” by a senior ISRO director.
Nilesh M Desai, the Director of the Space Application Centre (SAC) at ISRO, provided insights into the crucial significance of these minutes in an interview with ANI. Desai explained that on August 23, the lander module will begin its descent from an altitude of 30 kilometers. During this phase, it will grapple with an estimated velocity of approximately 1.68 kilometers per second, a substantial speed given the lunar context, while the moon’s gravitational force endeavors to pull the lander downward.
Desai delved into the intricate landing process, detailing that the thruster engines will play a pivotal role. “We will have to retrofy the thruster engine, so that the lander de-accelerates to 0 when it makes the soft landing. We have installed four thruster engines in the lander module. From an altitude of 30 kilometers, the lander will come down to 7.5 kilometers and then to 6.8 kilometers.”
He continued, “We will then shut two of the four engines and the remaining engines will be used for landing. We will carry out reverse thrust of the engine. From 30 kilometers, the lander’s speed will decrease fourfold to 350 meters per second at an altitude of 6.8 kilometers.”
The most critical phase, as described by Desai, involves the descent from 6.8 kilometers to 800 meters, transitioning into a vertical descent towards the lunar surface. Cameras and sensors will provide reference data to guide the lander’s hover over the surface before choosing the exact landing site.
The entire sequence is expected to unfold in precisely 17 minutes and 21 seconds. In the event the lander veers slightly sideways in its landing trajectory, extending to the maximum site, the duration could extend to 17 minutes and 32 seconds. Desai emphasized the paramount importance of this period, highlighting that any deviation from the meticulously planned maneuvers could spell failure.
This high-stakes endeavor underscores the ISRO team’s meticulous planning and precision, as Chandrayaan 3 endeavors to join India’s successful lunar exploration legacy.
Sources By Agencies
