India’s Chandrayaan-3 to Land on Moon in 24 Hours; How to Watch It Live
The Indian space agency, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), announced on Tuesday that Chandrayaan-3, India’s third moon mission, is on schedule and the systems are “undergoing regular checks”.
The spacecraft is headed to the moon’s south pole and is expected to make a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23. The event will be showcased on a live telecast.
Date and time of Chandrayaan-3’s landing
According to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 is scheduled to land on the moon on August 23 at around 6.04pm local time (3.34pm Bahrain time).
The space agency, in a post shared on August 20, said, “The second and final de-boosting operation has successfully reduced the LM orbit to 25 km x 134 km. The module would undergo internal checks and await the sun-rise at the designated landing site.”
“The powered descent is expected to commence on August 23, 2023, around 5:45pm (India local time),” ISRO added.
When and where to watch Chandrayaan-3 landing live?
The much-anticipated landing of Chandrayaan-3 can be watched live on ISRO’s website, official YouTube channel, and Facebook page. It will stream from 5:20pm local time (2.50 pm Bahrain time).
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 22, 2023
The mission is on schedule.
Systems are undergoing regular checks.
Smooth sailing is continuing.
The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) is buzzed with energy & excitement!
The live telecast of the landing operations at MOX/ISTRAC begins at 17:20 Hrs. IST… pic.twitter.com/Ucfg9HAvrY
India is aiming to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface and become the fourth country to do so after the US, Russia, and China.
“The soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a monumental moment that not only fuels curiosity but also sparks a passion for exploration within the minds of our youth. It generates a profound sense of pride and unity as we collectively celebrate the prowess of Indian science and technology. It will contribute to fostering an environment of scientific inquiry and innovation,” ISRO said in a statement on August 20.
Space agencies across the globe are locked in a race to the moon’s south pole, which is believed to have the presence of frozen water. India will be the fourth country to attempt a soft landing on the moon this year.
Russia too aimed to soft-land on the moon’s south pole but its Lunar-25 spacecraft crashed on the lunar surface this month.
The Russian space agency, Roskosmos, said that it lost contact with the craft and that “the apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon.”
