Regan Brown
The Chandrayaan programme consists of robotic explorers such as the Moon Impact Probe (MIP), Chandrayaan-1, 2 and 3 orbiters, Vikram lander, and Pragyaan rover. The Chandrayaan-2 mission was India's first extraterrestrial exploration mission to the Moon. The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is orbiting the Moon on a polar orbit at an altitude of 100 km (62 mi) and carries eight scientific instruments. The Chandrayaan-2 composite (orbiter, lander, and rover) weighed 3,850 kg (8,490 lb) in total, with the orbiter alone weighing 2,379 kg (5,245 lb). The Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched aboard an LVM3 rocket on 14 July 2023 and comprised three main components: a propulsion module, lander module, and rover. The LVM3 rocket's propulsion module was filled with 1,696.4 kg of fuel and was expected to last for three to six months.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rocket | LVM3 |
| Launch date | 14 July 2023 |
| Launch time | 09:05 UTC |
| Launch location | Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh |
| Modules | Propulsion, lander, and rover |
| First stage fuel type | Solid fuel |
| Second stage fuel type | Liquid fuel |
| Final stage fuel type | Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen |
| Fuel mass of the propulsion module | 1,696.4 kg |
| Expected duration of propulsion module | 3-6 months |
| Actual duration of propulsion module | 150+ kg of fuel remaining after 42 days |
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What You'll Learn
- The Chandrayaan-2 rocket used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as fuel
- The Chandrayaan-2 rocket had a total mass of 3.8 tonnes
- The Chandrayaan-3 rocket used solid fuel, liquid fuel, and a cryogenic engine
- The propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3 was filled with 1,696.4 kg of fuel
- Chandrayaan-3 had excess fuel, with 150+ kg remaining
The Chandrayaan-2 rocket used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as fuel
The Chandrayaan-2 mission was launched on July 14, 2019, and entered lunar orbit on August 20, 2019. The Chandrayaan-2 rocket used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as fuel, specifically utilising the CE-20 engine. This engine has a burn duration of up to 800 seconds and has been used successfully in several LVM-3 missions, including the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 launches.
The Chandrayaan programme consists of robotic explorers, including orbiters, landers, and rovers. The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, weighing 2,379 kg (5,245 lb), carries eight scientific instruments, two of which are improved versions of those flown on Chandrayaan-1. The orbiter's mission duration has been extended from the planned one year to 7.5 years due to precise launch and mission management.
The orbiter's primary objectives were to soft-land on the lunar surface and operate a rover, studying the surface, exosphere, minerals, and water ice. The Chandrayaan-2 mission discovered an abundance of sodium on the Moon in October 2023, as well as water and hydroxyl ions in August 2022. These discoveries provide valuable insights into the composition and characteristics of the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched in 2023, built upon the successes of Chandrayaan-2. It became the first spacecraft to successfully land in the lunar south pole region, marking a significant milestone for India's space programme. Chandrayaan-3 consisted of a propulsion module, lander module, and rover, with the lander being responsible for the soft landing on the Moon.
The advancements in cryogenic engine technology, such as the CE-20 engine used in Chandrayaan-2, have played a crucial role in enhancing India's rocket capabilities. These engines, utilising liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, enable greater thrust, range, and payload capacity, showcasing India's progress in the field of rocket science and space exploration.
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The Chandrayaan-2 rocket had a total mass of 3.8 tonnes
The Chandrayaan-2 rocket, part of the Chandrayaan programme, had a total mass of 3.8 tonnes. The programme consists of robotic explorers, including the Moon Impact Probe (MIP), Chandrayaan-1, 2, and 3 orbiters, the Vikram lander, and the Pragyaan rover. The Chandrayaan-2 rocket was launched on July 14, 2019 and entered lunar orbit on August 20, 2019. The orbiter component of the rocket has been operational since, with a mission duration of approximately 7.5 years, extended from the planned 1 year.
The approximate launch mass of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter alone was 2,379 kg (5,245 lb). The orbiter carried eight scientific instruments, two of which were upgraded versions of those flown on Chandrayaan-1. These included the Terrain Mapping Camera 2 (TMC-2) and the Chandrayaan-2 Atmospheric Compositional Explorer 2 (ChACE-2). The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is orbiting the Moon at an altitude of 100 km (62 mi).
The Chandrayaan-2 composite (orbiter, lander, and rover) weighed 3,850 kg (8,490 lb) in total. The Vikram lander was responsible for the soft landing on the Moon, while the Pragyaan rover performed on-site analysis. The Chandrayaan-2 mission as a whole aimed to study the lunar surface, its exosphere, minerals, and water ice.
The Chandrayaan-2 rocket's total mass of 3.8 tonnes included the fuel necessary for its journey to the Moon. The Upper Cryogenic stage is the most crucial stage for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)-Mk-III, which is one of the most powerful rockets maintained by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The Chandrayaan-3 rocket, launched in 2023, also included a cryogenic engine powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
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The Chandrayaan-3 rocket used solid fuel, liquid fuel, and a cryogenic engine
The Chandrayaan-3 rocket used a combination of solid, liquid, and cryogenic fuels. The rocket was 43.5 meters high and weighed 642 tonnes. Solid fuel was used in the first stage of the rocket, providing the initial thrust, while liquid fuel was used in the second stage to maintain this thrust and get the rocket into orbit. The rocket's fuel tank capacity was more than 27,000 kg.
The solid fuel used in the Chandrayaan-3 rocket was HTPB (Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene), known for its high energy output and stability. This type of fuel is simple and reliable, offering a strong initial thrust during the launch phase.
The liquid fuel used in the second stage was a combination of liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2). Liquid fuels are known for their high efficiency and are commonly used in advanced stages of a rocket's journey.
The third and final stage of the Chandrayaan-3 rocket was powered by a cryogenic engine, specifically the CE-20 cryogenic engine. Cryogenic fuels are stored at extremely low temperatures and are used for missions requiring high thrust, such as achieving geostationary orbits. The CE-20 engine was India's first cryogenic engine with a gas-generator cycle and was designed to power the Cryogenic Upper Stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle. This engine helped the Chandrayaan-3 rocket reach speeds of up to 36,000 km per hour.
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The propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3 was filled with 1,696.4 kg of fuel
The Chandrayaan programme, which began in 1999, has seen India embark on its first extraterrestrial exploration mission to the Moon. The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, launched in 2019, had an approximate launch mass of 2,379 kg (5,245 lb). It carried eight scientific instruments, including an Orbiter High-Resolution Camera (OHRC) and a Terrain Mapping Camera 2 (TMC-2).
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on July 14, 2023, was India's second lander and rover mission to the Moon. It comprised three main components: a propulsion module, a lander module (Vikram), and a rover (Pragyan). The propulsion module, also known as the orbiter, served as a crucial element in carrying the lander and rover to the Moon.
On August 17, 2023, the Vikram lander separated from the propulsion module and began its landing operations. The lander was responsible for the soft landing on the Moon, marking India's second successful mission to the lunar surface. The propulsion module, equipped with radioisotope heating units (RHUs), was later reinserted into an orbit around the Earth for spectral and polarimetric observations.
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Chandrayaan-3 had excess fuel, with 150+ kg remaining
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully landed the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the Moon on 23 August 2023, making India the first nation to land a spacecraft in the lunar south pole region. The mission consists of a Vikram lunar lander and a Pragyan lunar rover, as replacements for the equivalents on Chandrayaan-2, which crashed on landing in 2019.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched aboard an LVM3-M4 rocket on 14 July 2023, at 09:05 UTC from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad in Sriharikota, India. The propulsion module was loaded with 1,696.4 kg of fuel at the time of launch. It carried out five Earth-bound manoeuvres and five lunar-bound manoeuvres between 15 July and 17 August, each of which would have consumed some fuel.
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. ISRO chairman S Somanath said, "It has too much fuel, way beyond our expectations. There's a lot of fuel left as everything was very nominal on the way to the Moon and there were no contingencies requiring corrections (for which fuel would have been expended). We're left with almost all the margin, that's around 150+kg."
The excess fuel means that the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth (SHAPE) instrument gets more time to study Earth. SHAPE was developed to study Earth's atmosphere from a distance and aid in the study of exoplanets' atmospheres. The propulsion module was moved from its orbit around the Moon to an orbit around Earth, and while the initial plan was to operate SHAPE for about three months during the mission life of the orbiter, the precise lower Earth orbit injection by LVM3 means that over 100 kg of fuel was left in the propulsion module after one month of operation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Chandrayaan 2 rocket carried liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its upper cryogenic stage. The total mass of the GSLV-Mk-III carrying Chandrayaan-2 was 3.8 tonnes.
The Chandrayaan programme is India's first extraterrestrial exploration mission to the Moon. It consists of robotic explorers such as the Moon Impact Probe (MIP), Chandrayaan-1 and 2 orbiters, the Vikram lander, and the Pragyaan rover.
The primary objectives of the Chandrayaan 2 mission were to soft-land on the lunar surface, operate a rover, and study the lunar surface, its exosphere, minerals, and water ice.
The Chandrayaan 3 mission is a continuation of the Chandrayaan programme. It was launched on July 14, 2023, and successfully landed on the Moon on August 23, 2023, making India the first nation to land a spacecraft in the lunar south pole region.
