Chandrayaan-3: ISRO may attempt another soft landing on Moon next year

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has constituted a high-level committee, headed by S Somanath, to prepare a report on the proposed Chandrayaan-3.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

• ISRO has constituted a high-level committee to prepare a report on the proposed Chandrayaan-3.
• The mission of another soft landing on the Moon may be attempted by next year-end, probably in November.
• "This committee has pinpointed as to what went wrong (with Chandrayaan-2's Vikram)," an ISRO official has said.

 

After an unsuccessful bid two months ago, India may attempt another soft landing on the Moon by next year-end, probably in November, sources in ISRO has said. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has constituted a high-level committee, headed by S Somanath, Director of Thiruvanathapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, the lead center responsible for all launch vehicle programs of ISRO, to prepare a report on the proposed Chandrayaan-3.

"The panel's report is awaited. The committee has been given a guideline to prepare the mission before the end of next year," a senior ISRO official told PTI. "There is a good launch window in November". "Rover, lander and landing operations will get more focus this time and whatever deficiencies in the Chandrayaan-2 mission will be corrected," sources in the Bengaluru- headquartered space agency said.

On September 7, ISRO attempted a soft landing of Chandrayaan-2's "Vikram" on the unchartered lunar south pole, before losing communication with the lander.

A national-level committee consisting of academics and ISRO experts, headed by V Narayanan, Director of the space agency's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, has analyzed the cause of communication loss with the lander. The members of the panel included those from VSSC and U R Rao Satellite Centre.

"This committee has pinpointed as to what went wrong. They have prepared a voluminous report and are believed to have submitted it to the Space Commission," an ISRO official said. "It's expected to be put in the public domain after the approval of the PMO," the official said.

(With inputs from agencies.)