ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is gearing up to launch Chandrayaan-3 this week, marking India's renewed attempt to become the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the moon successfully. The upcoming mission, Chandrayaan-3, is scheduled to be launched from Sriharikota.
After the setback encountered during the Chandrayaan-2 mission, ISRO has adopted a "failure-based design" approach for Chandrayaan-3 instead of a "success-based design." ISRO Chairman S Somanath shed light on this new approach, explaining that primary issue with Chandrayaan-2 was its limited ability to handle variations or dispersion of parameters.
To address this, ISRO has expanded the scope of their design to account for potential failures. Rather than solely focusing on achieving success, they have adopted a more proactive approach that identifies potential failure points and seeks to protect against them. Somanath emphasized the importance of anticipating what could go wrong and developing strategies to mitigate such risks.
Chandrayaan-3 is a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission and aims to showcase India's capabilities in soft landing and roving on the lunar surface. Upon successful landing, the rover, equipped with six wheels, will be deployed and expected to operate for approximately 14 days on the moon. The rover will capture and transmit images using multiple onboard cameras, providing valuable visual data.
ISRO's focus on a failure-based design signifies their commitment to learn from past experiences and strengthen the mission's chances of success. By addressing potential failure scenarios and devising appropriate safeguards, they aim to increase the robustness and reliability of Chandrayaan-3.
The upcoming launch of Chandrayaan-3 marks another significant step in India's space exploration ambitions. The mission demonstrates India's technological prowess and contributes to scientific advancements and further understanding of the moon's surface. The successful completion of Chandrayaan-3 would solidify India's position in the global space community and pave the way for future lunar exploration endeavours.