Chandrayaan-3 vs Chandrayaan-2: A Comparative Analysis of India’s Moon Missions

India’s ambitious lunar exploration program has been making headlines with its Chandrayaan missions. The Chandrayaan-2 mission, launched in 2019, was a significant step forward in India’s space exploration journey. Now, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the launch of Chandrayaan-3, promising to be an even more advanced mission. This article will provide a comparative analysis of the two missions, highlighting their objectives, technologies, and the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2 that are being applied to Chandrayaan-3.

Objectives of the Missions

The primary objective of both Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 is to further our understanding of the Moon. However, the specific goals of the two missions differ slightly.

• Chandrayaan-2: This mission aimed to study the lunar surface and the distribution of lunar water. It also sought to conduct studies on lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, the lunar exosphere, and signatures of hydroxyl and water ice.
• Chandrayaan-3: Building on the findings of Chandrayaan-2, the third mission aims to land on the Moon and conduct further experiments. The primary objective is to demonstrate the ability to soft-land on the lunar surface and operate a robotic rover.

Technological Aspects

Both missions employ advanced technologies, but there are some key differences in their design and components.

• Chandrayaan-2: This mission consisted of an orbiter, a lander named Vikram, and a rover named Pragyan. The orbiter is equipped with eight scientific instruments, while the lander and rover have three and two instruments, respectively.
• Chandrayaan-3: Learning from the unsuccessful landing attempt of Chandrayaan-2, the third mission will only include a lander and a rover. The orbiter from Chandrayaan-2, which is still operational, will be used for this mission. The lander has been redesigned to improve its landing capability.

Lessons Learned

Chandrayaan-2, despite its partial success, provided valuable lessons for ISRO, which are being incorporated into the design and execution of Chandrayaan-3.

• Chandrayaan-2: The mission’s lander, Vikram, crash-landed on the Moon due to a braking thruster malfunction. This highlighted the need for more robust systems and redundancies.
• Chandrayaan-3: ISRO has made several design modifications to the lander to prevent a repeat of the Chandrayaan-2 mishap. These include a reconfigured propulsion system and the addition of a fifth engine. The mission will also include more rigorous testing and simulations before launch.

In conclusion, while Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 are part of the same lunar exploration program, they are distinct in their objectives, technological components, and the lessons they represent in India’s space exploration journey. Chandrayaan-3, with its improved design and objectives, promises to take India’s lunar exploration to new heights.