Sylvie Willis
India's second lunar mission, Chandrayaan 2, was launched in 2019 and carried more than 10 scientific instruments to study the moon. The Chandrayaan 2 orbiter carried 1,697kg of propellant. The mission was largely successful, but it failed in the final phase as it could not achieve a soft landing. Chandrayaan 3, India's third lunar mission, built on the success of its predecessors, Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2, and became the first nation to soft-land on the surface of the Lunar South Pole.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Solid fuel, liquid fuel, liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen |
| Fuel capacity | 27,000+ kg |
| Fuel in the propulsion module at launch | 1,696.4 kg |
| Fuel left in the propulsion module | 150+ kg |
| Expected duration of the propulsion module | 3-6 months |
| Actual duration of the propulsion module | Several years |
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What You'll Learn
- Chandrayaan-3's propulsion module was initially loaded with 1,696.4 kg of fuel
- The rocket uses a mix of solid and liquid fuels
- The final stage of the rocket's journey uses a cryogenic engine, running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen
- More than 150kg of fuel was left in the propulsion module, exceeding expectations
- Chandrayaan-3's fuel tank was manufactured by BHEL using lightweight titanium
Chandrayaan-3's propulsion module was initially loaded with 1,696.4 kg of fuel
Chandrayaan-2 was India's second mission to the Moon, launched in 2019. Unfortunately, the Vikram lander crashed on the Moon's surface. Chandrayaan-3 was launched in 2023 as a replacement for the Vikram lander.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission consists of the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover. The Vikram lander is box-shaped, with four landing legs and four landing thrusters capable of producing 800 newtons of thrust each. It carried the rover and scientific instruments to perform on-site analysis.
The propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3 was expected to have used a similar amount of fuel as the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, which expended more than 657 kg of fuel during the five Earth-bound manoeuvres and the trans-lunar injection. After the lunar orbit insertion, the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter required more than 749 kg of fuel at the end of the separation manoeuvre.
Following the completion of the landing operations, the Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module was left with around 150 kg of fuel. This excess fuel allowed the module to remain in orbit for much longer than the initially designed three to six months, providing additional time for the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth (SHAPE) instrument to study Earth.
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The rocket uses a mix of solid and liquid fuels
The amount of fuel required to reach the moon depends on the spaceship design and its total mass. The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter carried 1,697 kg of propellant, while its successor, Chandrayaan-3, carried slightly less at 1,696.4 kg.
Rockets use a mix of solid and liquid fuels. Solid fuels are easier to store and handle than liquid fuels, as they are less volatile and have a higher energy density. Liquid fuels, on the other hand, offer more control over the thrust and are easier to shut down in case of emergencies. They are also more efficient than solid fuels.
The Apollo mission's Saturn V rocket, for instance, used a combination of kerosene and liquid oxygen, with the first stage carrying 203,400 gallons of kerosene fuel and 318,000 gallons of liquid oxygen. SpaceX's Falcon 9, on the other hand, uses a more efficient mix of liquid oxygen and kerosene, with the first stage consuming 39,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and 25,000 gallons of kerosene.
The Vikram lander, which was part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, had four variable-thrust engines with slew rate changing capabilities. It carried out a short hop on the lunar surface, demonstrating its capability for potential future sample return missions. The propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3 was moved out of lunar orbit and into an orbit around Earth, leaving it with about 150 kg of fuel and extending its lifespan.
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The final stage of the rocket's journey uses a cryogenic engine, running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen
Cryogenic fuels are used in machinery that operates in space, such as rockets and satellites, where ordinary fuel cannot be used due to the very low temperatures and the absence of oxygen. Cryogenic fuels are liquefied gases that require storage at extremely low temperatures to maintain them in a liquid state.
Liquid oxygen is often mistakenly called a cryogenic fuel, but it is actually an oxidizer. Cryogenic rocket engines use both a cryogenic fuel and an oxidizer, which are gases that have been liquefied and are stored at very low temperatures. Oxygen is the simplest and most common oxidizer, and it is in the gas phase at standard temperature and pressure, as is hydrogen, the simplest fuel.
Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are the most commonly used cryogenic fuels today. Liquid hydrogen requires a storage temperature of about −253°C to remain in its liquid form. It is mainly used as a fuel in high-performance engines and has the ability to considerably reduce the mass and volume of launchers. Liquid oxygen requires storage temperatures of about −183°C and is mainly used as an oxidizer in engines, as it is capable of providing high reactivity and is easy to produce and use.
Hydrogen and liquid oxygen, when combined, generate hydrolox, a highly efficient cryogenic fuel that facilitates the development of ""clean"" space missions, as its combustion only produces water vapour as a byproduct. The combustion of oxygen and hydrogen is key to the success of any space mission, propelling the rocket during the first ten minutes of flight.
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More than 150kg of fuel was left in the propulsion module, exceeding expectations
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on July 14, 2023, is India's lunar mission to the Moon. The LVM3 Rocket, also known as 'Bahubali', is the largest and heaviest rocket launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is composed of three modules: propulsion, lander, and rover.
The propulsion module was initially loaded with 1,696.4 kg of fuel. Its purpose was to carry out the heavy lifting, including five Earth-bound and five lunar-bound manoeuvres before separating from the landing module. The first stage of the rocket is powered by solid fuel, the second stage by liquid fuel, and the final stage by a cryogenic engine running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
The extended lifespan of the propulsion module has significant implications for the mission. Specifically, the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth (SHAPE) instrument will benefit from the additional time to study the Earth. This surplus fuel has also contributed to the overall success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, marking a significant milestone in India's space exploration endeavours.
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Chandrayaan-3's fuel tank was manufactured by BHEL using lightweight titanium
The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter carried 1,697 kg of propellant fuel, which was used to complete five Earth-bound manoeuvres and a trans-lunar injection. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, India's Moon mission, is powered by both solid and liquid fuels. The rocket carrying Chandrayaan-3 has a fuel capacity of more than 27,000 kg. The first stage of the rocket utilizes solid fuel, while the second stage employs liquid fuel. For the final stage, a cryogenic engine is used, running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
Chandrayaan-3's fuel tank was manufactured by BHEL, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, using lightweight titanium. BHEL also provided the propulsion module to assist in lifting the vehicle. The batteries installed in the lander module were also made by BHEL, meeting the energy requirements for the mission. Titanium is a strong yet lightweight metal commonly used in space missions.
The Vikram lander was responsible for the soft landing on the Moon. The lander has four variable-thrust engines with slew rate changing capabilities. The Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module was loaded with 1,696.4 kg of fuel at the time of the launch on July 14, 2023. With more than 150 kg of fuel left, the propulsion module, which was initially expected to have a life of three to six months, is expected to live on for several years.
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Frequently asked questions
The Chandrayaan 2 mission carried 1,697 kg of propellant fuel.
The rocket used both solid and liquid fuel. The first stage used solid fuel, the second stage used liquid fuel, and the final stage used a cryogenic engine with liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
There was no fuel left at the end of the mission as the lander and rover missed their wake-up calls and became unresponsive.
