India has embarked on its latest mission, Chandrayaan-3, with the objective of exploring the Moon and contributing to the global effort of sending humans back to its surface for the first time since 1972.
The spacecraft was launched on Friday afternoon from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) closely monitored the launch, witnessing the spacecraft rise into the atmosphere, leaving behind a trail of smoke and fire as it embarked on its journey to the Moon.
If all goes according to plan, the Chandrayaan-3 launch rocket will propel the spacecraft into an elliptical Earth orbit before charting a course towards the Moon, with a scheduled landing anticipated around August 23.
Chandrayaan-3 follows its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, as part of the ISRO’s collaborative efforts with NASA’s Artemis Accords. The goal is to join the United States in its mission to land humans on the Moon by 2025, marking 52 years since the last manned lunar landing, and subsequently to explore Mars.
Under the Artemis Accords, India will have the opportunity to share data, technology, and resources with the US, fostering collaboration in lunar exploration. This partnership signifies India’s commitment to contributing to global space exploration initiatives and aligning its efforts with those of international space agencies.
The launch of Chandrayaan-3 represents a significant milestone for India’s space program, reaffirming its ambitions to push boundaries and expand scientific knowledge through lunar exploration.
