The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which failed to land a probe on Moon in its first attempt in September 2019 (Chandrayaan-2) has its eyes still set on Earth’s natural satellite. The space agency has already begun work on Chandrayaan 3 , and Isro chairman K Sivan said it will cost Rs 250 cr (for lander, rover and propulsion module) and Rs 365 crore for launch. The total cost: Rs 615 crore. The TOI was first to report that ISRO has begun work on Chandrayaan 3, in its November 14 edition.
“Chandrayaan 3 will have a lander, rover and a propulsion module. The government has approved the project and we have formed the project team. Work is going on smoothly,” Sivan said.
“We are targeting the launch for this year, but it may spillover to the next year,” Sivan said, while sources reiterated that the internal target set for launch is November 2020.
As reported by TOI earlier, since the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is working fine, the new mission will have a different composition. It will have the lander and the rover. And, as per initial plans and instructions given by the Chairman, Isro is looking at having a detachable module that will carry the fuel.
“It will basically carry fuel and help in taking the landing module — which will have the rover sitting inside the lander — to the lunar orbit.”
In Chandrayaan-2, fuel carried on the orbiter was used for all the manoeuvres performed post launch and until the separation of the landing module. Here, the propulsion module will aid this process.
Further, ISRO is also looking at reducing the number of manoeuvres around Earth and also during the transit from here to the lunar orbit. “Instead of six manoeuvres around Earth we may have just three or four, those details are being worked out,” a source said.
