New Delhi: The countdown has begun for India's highly anticipated lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan-3. This ambitious endeavor aims to establish India as the fourth nation to achieve a successful spacecraft landing on the moon, showcasing the country's prowess in safe and soft lunar surface landings.

The official countdown for the mission was initiated on Thursday at 14:35:17 IST, with the launch scheduled for Friday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Propelled by a GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle, the spacecraft is poised to embark on a remarkable journey.

Chandrayaan-3 represents the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) persevering efforts after encountering challenges during the Chandrayaan-2 mission's soft landing in 2019. In preparation for the upcoming launch, the ISRO has concluded a comprehensive "Launch Rehearsal," meticulously simulating the entire launch process.

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On the eve of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, a team of dedicated ISRO scientists visited the Tirupathi Venkatachalapathy Temple in Andhra Pradesh, offering prayers with a miniature model of Chandrayaan-3. This gesture reflects their unwavering dedication and the nation's profound hope for the mission's success.

If all goes according to plan, Chandrayaan-3 will achieve a historic milestone by becoming the first spacecraft to touch down on the Moon's enigmatic South Pole. This remarkable feat will not only demonstrate India's technological prowess but also symbolize its bold ambitions in the realm of space exploration.

Chandrayaan-3's objectives encompass a safe and gentle landing on the lunar surface, enabling the rover to traverse and perform in-situ scientific experiments. The Indian Space Research Organisation has invited citizens to witness the highly anticipated launch from the viewing gallery at Sriharikota, eagerly anticipating this momentous event.

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ecalling the previous Chandrayaan-2 mission, contact with the lander was unfortunately lost when it was just moments away from the moon's surface. However, with the advancements made and lessons learned, the team behind Chandrayaan-3 remains resolute in their pursuit of success.

The upcoming journey from Earth to the moon is estimated to take approximately a month, with the anticipated landing set for August 23. As Chandrayaan-3's development commenced in January 2020, with the original launch scheduled for 2021, unforeseen delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the mission.

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The Chandrayaan-1 mission, launched in 2008, made a significant discovery by detecting water (H2O) and hydroxyl (OH) on the lunar surface. Furthermore, data revealed their abundance to be particularly pronounced in the polar region. The mission's primary scientific objective was to create a comprehensive three-dimensional atlas of both the near and far sides of the Moon while conducting meticulous chemical and mineralogical mapping with remarkable spatial resolution, as articulated by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre under ISRO's guidance.

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