Chandrayaan 3 lunar mission

India’ s Chandrayaan 3 mission carries a lander and rover with scientific payloads to analyse the chemical and geological composition of the lunar surface


New Delhi
INDIA
Bay of Bengal
Satish Dhawan Space Centre


Vikram lunar lander: Carries Rover plus four scientific payloads

Mass: 1,752kg, including 26kg Rover

Orbiter: Transports lander and rover to lunar orbit. 
Mass: 2,148kg

Orbiter acts as communications relay satellite

Earth-observing experiment on orbiter will make spectral measurements from lunar orbit to establish signatures of habitable Earth-like planets

Landing site: Near lunar south pole

100km circular polar orbit

Lander payloads: Seismometer to detect moonquakes, experiment to measure thermal conductivity and temperature, probe
to measure changes in near-surface plasma – ions and electrons – and NASA passive laser experiment


Vikram lunar lander

Rover named Pragyan

Rover payloads: Spectrometer and spectroscope to derive elements present in lunar soil and rocks around landing site


Launch Vehicle Mark-III: Two solid-fuel strap-on boosters

One liquid-fuel core stage and cryogenic upper stage.
Overall length: 43.5m

LVM3 will lift off carrying 3,900kg Chandrayaan 3

Mission will last one lunar day - 14 Earth days


Sources: Indian Space Research Organisation, NASA
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