Chandrayaan 3: Launch and Discussions

sanman · Post by **sanman** » 23 Aug 2023 19:52

SriKumar wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 19:35 The real work for the ISRO engineers is just beginning. They are checking parameters on the rover to see if it survived the landing well and powering up its systems and checking system parameters. Rover will be working for the 14 days and nights and preparations for that are probably underway. If PRagyaan goes through this entire timeframe without a hitch, then a ton of pictures and scientific data will come our way.

BIggest thing they are probably looking at pictures in front of the lander Vikram and whether it has clear space to roll out a ramp so PRagyaan can come out smoothly. (My speculation: if this is not possible and there is boulder in front of Vikram, the 'hop' of the lander that people were speculating about might come sooner, but this is pure speculation).

I don't see the boulder thing as very likely. But suppose the lander is inclined on a slope, or suppose it's on the edge of a slope? Can they still use the ramp like that? Hopefully the rover itself is in good health.

Should be lots of good learning happening from this on how to deploy rover.

madhu · Post by **madhu** » 23 Aug 2023 19:54

how long will it take for the moon dust to settle? are they waiting for sunrise. what parameters will decide when rover will move out.

rahulm · Post by **rahulm** » 23 Aug 2023 19:56

drnayar · Post by **drnayar** » 23 Aug 2023 19:57

sanjaykumar wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 19:43 Small step for India giant leap for South Asia.

South Asia needs to be called Akhand Bharat in BRF

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 23 Aug 2023 20:01

Congratulations !!!

Now that actual landing was as exciting (or normal) as the animation we posted here..(from the planned trajectory ).. (Watching in real time the velocity /position predicted matched actual data)...

Slightly different take - reactions from the world -

NY Times has a story - (IMO not their usual negative take - but okay).. It even quoted "India's main opposition party Congress" congratulating the success. (INC also tweeted about the vision of Nehru who made it all possible)

South Africa - President Cyril Ramaphosa celebrated the successful landing during a summit of the BRICS . "This, for us as the BRICS family, is a momentous occasion, and we rejoice with you," he said to applause.

Narendra Modi called ISRO's Chief, mentioning that "Som" in Somanath means "Moon".. and he addressed all too.

Bill Nelson, administrator of NASA, congratulated to ISRO and took pride in “We’re glad to be your partner on this mission!” (ISRO used access to its Deep Space Network of radio antenna of NASA)

U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti -- ""That’s how you stick a landing! Congratulations to India, @ISRO
and the entire team on the successful landing of #Chandrayaan3! I can see exciting opportunities ahead for #USIndiaSpace collaboration."

There were >7 million watched the YouTube..

Thomas Zurbuchen (NASA's former head of science) tweeted "I watched - we all did. So so proud of our @isro friends! Wow - congrats"
The entire staff of Swiss Space Office (and reps of top universities were watching and delayed their meeting!"

shaun · Post by **shaun** » 23 Aug 2023 20:07

madhu wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 19:54 how long will it take for the moon dust to settle? are they waiting for sunrise. what parameters will decide when rover will move out.

Three hours after touch down , rover will come out .

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 23 Aug 2023 20:09

We can see that 150m, the lander hovered, found the site unsuitable and re-targeted and then landed. Therefore, I do not see any obstacles in the form of boulders or inclinations.

la.khan · Post by **la.khan** » 23 Aug 2023 20:10

India on the moon! Chandrayaan-3 becomes 1st probe to land near lunar south pole

... Pragyan's wheels are etched with the Ashoka Chakra, a religious symbol of a wheel with 24 spokes depicted on the Indian flag, and ISRO's logo. So when Pragyan inches along on the moon, ISRO hopes both symbols will be stamped onto the surface, where they will remain untouched for eons.

How cool is that to have etched Ashoka Chakra and ISRO logo on the wheels of Pragyan rover

Enough on trifles, on to science

For the next 14 days.

SRajesh · Post by **SRajesh** » 23 Aug 2023 20:12

Congratulations to ISRO
And to all the staff involved
Huge achievement and kudos to all

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 23 Aug 2023 20:13

madhu wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 19:54 how long will it take for the moon dust to settle? are they waiting for sunrise. what parameters will decide when rover will move out.

FWIW: Among other things, CH2 (Which has high capacity data channel) ought to be "above/visible from" vikram..At the time of landing it was behind.. (CH3PM was visible).. so we need to be patient till we start getting high definition pictures.. (CH3PM and CH2 both are in orbit - about 2 Hours period -- 100 Km above the surface.)

(Telemetry and other data from CH3 (Vikram) antenas on earth can get -- where moon is visible --( At the time of landing, from US it wasn't but Australia, India and other parts it was so we can get all important data ... probably all system checks would be performed ... Hi def pictures may wait - just a while)

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 23 Aug 2023 20:14

Will we get to see live video from the rover or will it be released by ISRO later?

SRajesh · Post by **SRajesh** » 23 Aug 2023 20:14

And lastly Dilbuji
Aapke muhmain Ghee/Shakkar
Aise hi bane raheyea upto 2024

sanman · Post by **sanman** » 23 Aug 2023 20:16

I hope that Vikram lander and/or Pragyan rover will have a chance to photograph the Earth itself from the lunar surface. Ideally, I would've liked to also see the Indian flag within the same shot. Earthrise would be a very powerful symbol to the Indian masses.

drnayar · Post by **drnayar** » 23 Aug 2023 20:17

source : https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F4N5qBTbsAA ... ame=medium

fanne · Post by **fanne** » 23 Aug 2023 20:18

Amber hi do you have the final touch down data? What was vertical and horizontal velocity at say 1 meter or 0 meter altitude

fanne · Post by **fanne** » 23 Aug 2023 20:20

I guess let me keep my patience and wait for the rover to roll out. A successful rover roll our means everything is naaarmal.

shaun · Post by **shaun** » 23 Aug 2023 20:23

"The communication link is established between the Ch-3 Lander and MOX-ISTRAC, Bengaluru."

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 23 Aug 2023 20:26

https://twitter.com/isro/status/1694360 ... 27726?s=20 ---> Chandrayaan-3 Mission Updates:

The communication link is established between the Ch-3 Lander and MOX-ISTRAC, Bengaluru.

Here are the images from the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera taken during the descent.

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 23 Aug 2023 20:28

As we see the usual gnashing of teeth and lamentations of how they send aid to India in the comments section of UK newspapers, the heart is overjoyed and is reminded of this quote from Conan the Barbarian: “Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women”

Yes, I am a small man but we have come a long way.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 23 Aug 2023 20:30

^^^ Just to be clear -- no "earthrise" from Vikram. (From CH2, CH3PM yes).. Earth is stationary on and low on the horizon..
( see this picture I posted before)

S_Madhukar · Post by **S_Madhukar** » 23 Aug 2023 20:31

Yup at least this time the headlines are positive… the smelly farting gora public can be ignored in the comments

krithivas · Post by **krithivas** » 23 Aug 2023 20:33

India's new Kanyakumari is on the moon beginning today. May India name the South pole as "Kanyakumari"!

sanman · Post by **sanman** » 23 Aug 2023 20:35

ISRO's Youtube livestream peaked at over 8 million viewers, breaking all records for Youtube livestream events.

sanman · Post by **sanman** » 23 Aug 2023 20:49

First image from Vikram of the Moon's surface following the landing:

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 23 Aug 2023 20:52

sanman wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 20:49 First image from Vikram of the Moon's surface following the landing:

Can you please share the source of the image? Would be good to show the source when posting images

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 23 Aug 2023 20:53

Cyrano wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 18:26 Last few seconds DD switched to some close up shot and we could not see real time Hv, Vv and Alt data. Hope DD does a better job when we see the next landings on Mars and Venus.

The ISRO official youtube channel did similar - switched to PM Modi in the last 30 seconds or so of the landing.

This is a joyous occasion, but I do want to register a protest. I was a very young boy when Indira Gandhi came to TERLS/VSSC for a launch (of a sounding rocket). I remembered noting then, and my memory is backed up by photographs, that when the launch was taking place, absolutely no one was paying any attention to Indira Gandhi.

I am therefore quite irritated that the video folks chose to cut to Modi or whatever they did when Chandrayaan was nailing the landing. The culture has changed a bit for the worse, in my opinion, that the video folks thought that they had to do that.

arvin · Post by **arvin** » 23 Aug 2023 20:55

putnanja wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 20:52
sanman wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 20:49 First image from Vikram of the Moon's surface following the landing:

Can you please share the source of the image? Would be good to show the source when posting images

https://www.news18.com/india/chandrayaa ... 47583.html

Sonugn · Post by **Sonugn** » 23 Aug 2023 20:57

Congrats to ISRO, scientists, allied personal, project managers & GOI for continued patronage.

As per twitter & DSN two ways comms are okay.

Amount of interest & joy in small towns/villages is immense.

nitzter · Post by **nitzter** » 23 Aug 2023 21:01

A_Gupta wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 20:53
Cyrano wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 18:26 Last few seconds DD switched to some close up shot and we could not see real time Hv, Vv and Alt data. Hope DD does a better job when we see the next landings on Mars and Venus.
The ISRO official youtube channel did similar - switched to PM Modi in the last 30 seconds or so of the landing.

This is a joyous occasion, but I do want to register a protest. I was a very young boy when Indira Gandhi came to TERLS/VSSC for a launch (of a sounding rocket). I remembered noting then, and my memory is backed up by photographs, that when the launch was taking place, absolutely no one was paying any attention to Indira Gandhi.

I am therefore quite irritated that the video folks chose to cut to Modi or whatever they did when Chandrayaan was nailing the landing. The culture has changed a bit for the worse, in my opinion, that the video folks thought that they had to do that.

The same feed was given to all channels... It was great to see our head of state smiling - but I would also have loved the side by side data being shown.

Boosting the PM during the landing was not bad in my opinion. Especially, when he is attending the most important Brics summit ever held. Especially, when India is G20 president this year... He needs all the boost one can get to make our mark and tune the global rhythm our way.

disha · Post by **disha** » 23 Aug 2023 21:04

Congratulations India/ISRO
--------------------------------------------------------------

I mentioned this few pages back:

What we must not miss is that we are standing at an epochal movement. A major transition is happening right in front of our eyes. And a massive generational shift. We are witnessing history in making and getting a ring side view of it. Some of us may not even be able to recognize what is happening, but at the end of the week, ISRO/India will transition from an imminent space power to an eminent space power.

We have to learn to accept the fact that India of 2023s is not the same as India of 1960s. And Indian space capability has made a major leapfrog forward. From the sounding rockets carried out on cycles to a cycle of deep space missions.

That means more responsibility. We need to start planning deep space missions to Mars, including landing on Mars, Moons of Mars (Phobos/Deimos), missions to asteroids & comets and a mission to vision. And we need to start looking at planning a mission to Jupiter and another to Saturn. And of course sample returns from Moon. Apart from that we need to start putting AstroSats and Aditya's, maybe at Lagrange points.

And of course the human space flight program with the goal to set up a moon base by 2040. And a asteroid mining mission by 2050.

This will require continuous development of new launch vehicles and more powerful boosters and extended upper stages and more launches. Basically the entire space sector is going to heat up and we have to start looking at an enormously expanded space program.

More importantly this will require bold decisions to go into uncharted and sometimes dangerous territories and an even more courage to absorb grave losses. The pertinent question is, do we have the will? And will we open up the budget? Or just brag how cheap our missions are compared to Hollywood or Bollywood movies?

--------------------------------------------------------------------

On a different note: JAXA is searching for Dilbu' San.

I had to point out to JAXA officials that they need to search for C3 mission computer, since the C3 Mission computer & its inertial navigation unit and it is already on moon. The C3 mission computer had to overcome:

[*] A precise orbit injection, C3 had to share some space with textbook, since it was a textbook launch
[*] Multiple Oberth maneuvers & multiple firings. The propulsion module got several kicks by the rocket it carried and delivered the lander payload in precise orbit around moon.
[*] In the process, it did a very well coordinated double-elliptic orbit raising into a hyperbolic trajectory, do a plan change and jump into Moon's gravity well...
[*] The lander had to do immense and sophisticated calculations to identify the spot where it could land on its own "two" feet (make it four feet).

Aldonkar · Post by **Aldonkar** » 23 Aug 2023 21:04

sanman wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 20:49 First image from Vikram of the Moon's surface following the landing:

First response from this Non -Indian citizen. Congratulations PM, CEO ISRO and all persons that played a part in this success. Also congratulations to all the people who supported the mission especially the various commentators and participants here. We have all played a small part in this sucess.

I for one am glad that it has happened now. My father, born in India under the rule of a foreign power wished to return there in his retirement. Sadly it was not to be. My mother was likewise determined to return but after father's death she came to the UK to be near her four sons. Next Tuesday is her 100th birthday. She will be proud that her country, has taken its place among those that lead the wasy forward.

Aldonkar

bala · Post by **bala** » 23 Aug 2023 21:06

Yes, the interest by common aam adhmi of India was skyhigh, everyone was absolutely glued to the TV. Hope this event triggers a new thinking for everyone in India, the pride of being first to South Pole on the Moon.

Ashokk · Post by **Ashokk** » 23 Aug 2023 21:06

sanman · Post by **sanman** » 23 Aug 2023 21:11

Ashokk wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 21:06 Check out the video

https://twitter.com/Shukla8175/status/1 ... 7913635881

ISRO chief Somnath ji .
Celebrating the grand success of #Chandrayaan3

FAKE. This video of Somnath ji is from last year. (Still looks nice, though)

shaun · Post by **shaun** » 23 Aug 2023 21:12

Ashokk wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 21:06 Check out the video

https://twitter.com/Shukla8175/status/1 ... 7913635881

ISRO chief Somnath ji .
Celebrating the grand success of #Chandrayaan3

This is not a recent video .

disha · Post by **disha** » 23 Aug 2023 21:19

A_Gupta wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 20:53
Cyrano wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 18:26 Last few seconds DD switched to some close up shot and we could not see real time Hv, Vv and Alt data. Hope DD does a better job when we see the next landings on Mars and Venus.
The ISRO official youtube channel did similar - switched to PM Modi in the last 30 seconds or so of the landing.

This is a joyous occasion, but I do want to register a protest. I was a very young boy when Indira Gandhi came to TERLS/VSSC for a launch (of a sounding rocket). I remembered noting then, and my memory is backed up by photographs, that when the launch was taking place, absolutely no one was paying any attention to Indira Gandhi.

I am therefore quite irritated that the video folks chose to cut to Modi or whatever they did when Chandrayaan was nailing the landing. The culture has changed a bit for the worse, in my opinion, that the video folks thought that they had to do that.

Cyrano'ji and A_Gupta'ji, you are not alone in the nonsense we have to put up with live transmission where they do random cuts to people. During LVM3/C3 launch they had the camera focused straight onto someone's backside. Imagine the "vihangmay drishya" which some 8M viewers saw it live.

It is not just panning onto Modi. Modi was not even in the room. He joined in from S. Africa to encourage the team.

During the telecast of C3 landing, when ~40M have watched it, the camera pans on to random people who are either chit-chatting and sharing some joke and or looking blank.

The quality of ISRO's telecast is sub-sub-sub-par. It needs to improve dramatically when human missions are launched.

Anant · Post by **Anant** » 23 Aug 2023 21:26

disha wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 21:19
A_Gupta wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 20:53

The ISRO official youtube channel did similar - switched to PM Modi in the last 30 seconds or so of the landing.

This is a joyous occasion, but I do want to register a protest. I was a very young boy when Indira Gandhi came to TERLS/VSSC for a launch (of a sounding rocket). I remembered noting then, and my memory is backed up by photographs, that when the launch was taking place, absolutely no one was paying any attention to Indira Gandhi.

I am therefore quite irritated that the video folks chose to cut to Modi or whatever they did when Chandrayaan was nailing the landing. The culture has changed a bit for the worse, in my opinion, that the video folks thought that they had to do that.
Cyrano'ji and A_Gupta'ji, you are not alone in the nonsense we have to put up with live transmission where they do random cuts to people. During LVM3/C3 launch they had the camera focused straight onto someone's backside. Imagine the "vihangmay drishya" which some 8M viewers saw it live.

It is not just panning onto Modi. Modi was not even in the room. He joined in from S. Africa to encourage the team.

During the telecast of C3 landing, when ~40M have watched it, the camera pans on to random people who are either chit-chatting and sharing some joke and or looking blank.

The quality of ISRO's telecast is sub-sub-sub-par. It needs to improve dramatically when human missions are launched.

Maybe they were hedging against a negative event and didn't want to do an ultra-zoom on what could have been a disaster. All in all, job well done. Brilliant people, lots of hard work. Hopefully, India will make this routine.

Also, I know this place fouls every damn thread with politics, religion and ethnic strife, but the reaction here in the US has been _overwhelmingly_ positive. Everyone is happy and has congratulated me at my company.

And I am looking for the Rover to do its rover thing. Good job and thank you to Amber G and other experts for keeping us in the loop.

Ashokk · Post by **Ashokk** » 23 Aug 2023 21:28

https://twitter.com/isro/status/1694376945340080398

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
The image captured by the
Landing Imager Camera
after the landing.

It shows a portion of Chandrayaan-3's landing site. Seen also is a leg and its accompanying shadow.

Chandrayaan-3 chose a relatively flat region on the lunar surface

disha · Post by **disha** » 23 Aug 2023 21:29

Aldonkar wrote: ↑23 Aug 2023 21:04 I for one am glad that it has happened now. My father, born in India under the rule of a foreign power wished to return there in his retirement. Sadly it was not to be. My mother was likewise determined to return but after father's death she came to the UK to be near her four sons. Next Tuesday is her 100th birthday. She will be proud that her country, has taken its place among those that lead the wasy forward.

Aldonkar

Aldonkar'ji, many pranaams to your mother. Sacrifices of her generation led us to this moment. We need a lot more from your mother. Please ask her to bless this nation and continue to bless us.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 23 Aug 2023 21:37

Aldonkarji - Please wish a *very* happy birthday to your mother. You must be very proud to have parents like that.