Mumbai, July 14: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is attempting a soft landing on the moon today. Chandrayaan-3, India's third moon exploration mission, will be blasted off to space on Launch Vehicle Mark-3 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota. The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover to a 100 km lunar orbit. According to a TOI report, the moon mission costs around $77 million USD or Rs 632 crores.

In the event of a successful launch, Chandrayaan-3 will mark a significant milestone as the first spacecraft to land on the Moon's South Pole. This achievement will showcase India's impressive technical capabilities and its ambitious pursuit of space exploration. The countdown for the launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission commenced on Thursday, July 13, at 14:35 IST in preparation for the take-off scheduled for Friday from the SDSC. According to ISRO Director S Somanath, after taking off at 2.35 pm, the spacecraft will land on the lunar surface on August 23 if all goes well. Chandrayaan-3 Launch Update: Countdown for India’s Third Moon Mission Progressing Smoothly, Says ISRO Official.

As stated on the official website, the Chandrayaan-3 mission has three primary objectives - to achieve a safe landing on the lunar surface, to demonstrate effective rover operations, and to conduct scientific experiments on-site.

Chandrayaan-3 Launch Live Streaming:

Chandrayaan-3 serves as a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2, aiming to showcase a comprehensive end-to-end capability in terms of safely landing on the lunar surface and conducting roving activities. The launch of the Chandrayaan-3 is available for live streaming on YouTube channel of ISRO. Chandrayaan-3 Mission Launch Video: ISRO Scientists Arrive With Miniature Model of Chandrayaan-3 To Offer Prayers at Tirupati Venkatachalapathy Temple Ahead of Launch on July 14.

Chandrayaan-3 Ready to Take Off:

The Indian space agency has extended an invitation to the general public to witness the launch of Chandrayaan-3. Interested individuals can observe the launch from the Launch View Gallery located at SDSC-SHAR in Sriharikota.

To date, four nations have made attempts to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface, wherein a spacecraft lands safely and intact without crashing, either intentionally or unintentionally. These countries include the former Soviet Union, the United States, China, and Israel. However, only the former three have achieved success in this endeavor. If Chandrayaan-3 accomplishes its mission successfully, India will become the fourth nation to achieve this remarkable feat.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 14, 2023 06:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).