Chandrayaan-3 Mission Cost: What ISRO Spent on India's Historic Moon Mission

India's Chandrayaan-3 mission , a pivotal endeavor in its lunar exploration journey, achieved a significant milestone with the successful separation of the Lander Module from the Propulsion module that propelled it through space. The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) marked this momentous event as a major stride in the nation's moon mission .

The Lander Module, housing the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover , is now poised for descent into an orbit that will bring it closer to the Moon's surface. A gentle landing on the lunar south pole is scheduled for August 23, as revealed by PTI.

In a communication on X (formerly Twitter), ISRO conveyed, “Thanks for the ride, mate! said the Lander Module (LM). LM is successfully separated from the Propulsion Module (PM). LM is set to descend to a slightly lower orbit upon a deboosting planned for tomorrow around 1600 Hrs., IST.”

Budget Insights of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission

The financial cost of India's historic moon mission has been unveiled. Chandrayaan-3 was crafted within a budget of approximately Rs 615 crore or $75 million. ISRO Chairman K Sivan previously stated that the lander rover and propulsion module for the moon mission accounted for about Rs 250 crore, while the launch service was budgeted at around Rs 365 crore.

For reference, the cost of Chandrayaan-1, launched in October 2008, stood at Rs 386 crore (US$48 million). The Chandrayaan-2 mission encompassed a budget of Rs 978 crore, encompassing Rs 603 crore for the orbiter, lander, rover, navigation, and ground support network, and Rs 375 crore for the heavy rocket – Geo-stationary Satellite Launch Vehicle, which utilized an indigenous engine to transport the spacecraft into space.

Current Developments in the Chandrayaan-3 Mission

Following the successful separation on Thursday, the lander is projected to undertake a "deboost" manoeuvre to position itself in an orbit where its closest point to the Moon (Perilune) is 30 kilometers and the farthest point (Apolune) is 100 kilometers. From this orbit, the soft landing on the Moon's south polar region will be attempted, according to insights provided by ISRO sources via PTI.

In the meantime, the Propulsion Module will continue its trajectory in the existing orbit for months or even years, as stated by the country's space agency. "The SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth) payload onboard it (Propulsion Module) would perform spectroscopic study of the Earth's atmosphere and measure the variations in polarization from the clouds on Earth to accumulate signatures of Exoplanets that would qualify for our habitability!" ISRO affirmed that the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru played a pivotal role in designing this payload.

Navigating Challenges and Overcoming Hurdles

ISRO Chairman S Somanath emphasized the critical nature of the landing process, especially the transformation of the lander's velocity from a horizontal direction to a vertical descent. He highlighted the complexity of this manoeuvre, which was a challenge faced during the Chandrayaan-2 mission. Somanath explained, "The velocity at the start of the landing process is almost 1.68 km per second, but this speed is horizontal to the surface of the moon. The Chandrayaan-3 here is tilted almost 90 degrees, it has to become vertical. So, this whole process of turning from horizontal to vertical is a very interesting calculation mathematically. We have done a lot of simulations. It is here where we had the problem last time (Chandrayaan-2)."

Upcoming Milestones and Anticipation

Chandrayaan-3 has undergone a series of orbits and manoeuvres, leading to its present trajectory. The spacecraft's launch on July 14 was followed by its entry into lunar orbit on August 5. Subsequent orbit reduction maneuvers took place on August 6, 9, 14, and 16, culminating in the recent separation of its modules. The final aim is the anticipated landing on August 23.

M Annadurai, Chandryaan-1 Project Director, underscored the importance of these milestones and the upcoming challenges. He conveyed, "It is a great moment and this will imply how the lander is performing and the lander will be verified and tested and brought closer and closer to the moon...Then it will be given the required commands such that it takes over on the cue on August 23 to go all the way to the targeted place and have a safe and secure landing."

Chandrayaan-3's Scientific Objectives

Chandrayaan-3 stands as a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, aimed at demonstrating capabilities for safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. The mission objectives encompass a safe and soft landing on the Moon's surface, rover roving, and in-situ scientific experiments.

The lander boasts the capacity for precision landing at a designated lunar site and deploys the rover, equipped to perform chemical analysis of the Moon's surface during its mobility. Both the lander and the rover host scientific payloads intended for experiments on the lunar terrain.