Chandrayaan-3 : Major Launches And Achievements Of ISRO

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to celebrate success of it’s historic moon mission Chandrayaan-3. As per the latest update from ISRO officials, The lander module (LM) of Chandrayaan-3 mission is set to land on the moon’s surface on 23 August 2023, around 18:04 Hrs (IST).

Before chandrayaan-3, ISRO achieved numerous significant milestones in the field of space exploration, satellites launching, and scientific research.

Here are some of the major achievements of ISRO up to that point:

1. Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan): Launched in November 2013, this mission marked India’s first interplanetary expedition. It successfully entered Mars’ orbit in September 2014, making India the first Asian nation to do so and the fourth space agency in the world to reach Mars.
2. Chandrayaan Missions: ISRO launched three lunar missions: Chandrayaan-1 (2008) and Chandrayaan-2 (2019). Chandrayaan-1 discovered water molecules on the Moon’s surface. Chandrayaan-2 aimed to explore the Moon’s south pole region and featured an orbiter, lander, and rover. It was almost successful, but the Vikram lander crash landed on moon, due to some technical glitch at final stage. Now Chandrayaan- 3 lander is on it’s way to land smoothly on moon’s surface, on 23 August 2023.
3. Navigation Satellites (IRNSS/NavIC): ISRO developed its regional satellite navigation system called NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), which aims to provide accurate positioning services in India and the surrounding region.
4. PSLV-C37 Mission: In February 2017, ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) successfully launched 104 satellites in a single mission, setting a world record for the highest number of satellites launched in a single mission.
5. GSAT Communication Satellites: ISRO has launched a series of communication satellites under the GSAT series, enhancing India’s telecommunication and broadcasting services.
6. Aryabhata and INSAT Series: ISRO launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975, which marked India’s entry into space technology. The INSAT series of satellites have played a crucial role in providing weather forecasting, telecommunications, and broadcasting services.
7. Cartosat Satellites: The Cartosat series of satellites are designed for high-resolution Earth observation and cartography. They have been used for urban planning, disaster management, and resource monitoring.
8. Aditya-L1 Mission (Upcoming): ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission aims to study the Sun and its outermost layer, the corona, to better understand the Sun-Earth relationship and space weather.
9. Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD): ISRO has been working on developing a reusable spaceplane as a cost-effective means of launching payloads into space.
10. Crewed Space Mission (Gaganyaan): ISRO is preparing for its first crewed mission, Gaganyaan, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space.
11. Astrosat: Launched in 2015, Astrosat is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, which allows scientists to study celestial objects in various wavelengths of light.

(Note: Suggestions and corrections are always welcome)