I had been following ISRO since 2008, when the Chandrayaan-1 mission was launched with MIP (Moon Impact Probe). Mission’s target was to deliberately crashing the Payload on the Surface of Moon and gather the Impact and other details required to understand the topographical details of the Moon as well as the constituents behavior. While most of the people may call it as crazy idea, but scientifically it is quite an important mechanism to determine the future course of action and derive detailed inputs that go behind the elaborate planning for the next set of missions.
Then for almost 11 years, ISRO was to wait for funds clearance, but they kept the lights on for the team Mission Moon. This is the same ISRO that was on the verge of closure back in 1987 owing to failures of some launch projects, though the main attribution was to the lack of funds, but the political saga was to cause issues with dedication and skills of the team.
Brushing its burns of the past, ISRO went ahead with the detailed and elaborate planning for Chandrayaan-2 mission. Target was to attempt a Soft Landing on Moon’s Southern Pole, also known as the Dark Side of the Moon. Covered with Deep trenches and craters, the Southern Pole area is a dreaded area as the temperatures here can go as low as -300 degree celsius. But ISRO, just didn’t keep the Lights on for the team, but also geared up for a Big Launch in 2019. The mission comprised of an Orbital and Lander+Rover Combination. The Soft Landing was unsuccessful, but the overall mission was 95% successful. The World news was abuzz with ISRO’s failure and the pic of ISRO chief crying while PM of India Mr. Narendra Modi was pacifying him.
For those who booed the Chandrayaan-2 Mission unsuccessful, few critical questions need to be answered
- Did the Lander land? – Yes
- Did it Crash Land? – Yes
- Did it destroy completely? – Per information in Public Domain – Yes
- Did ISRO get details of the Crash Landing as well as near close pictures of the Moon Surface? – Yes they definitely Did
So, Basis the details that are hidden in the responses to the questions above, ISRO derived inputs from MIP Crash (intentional) and Crash Landing of Vikram Lander of Chandrayaan-2 to work on Chandrayaan-3. Another attempt to Soft Land on Moon’s Southern Pole. How interesting that from 2008 to 2023 just before the Launch of Chandrayaan-3, India’s Moon Missions already had confirmed having Water (in form of ICE) as well as Moon having its own atmosphere (AR-30, plus Helium 3) sorts.
Post the Launch, ISRO worked with patience and right maneuvers of the Changrayaan-3 to keep the project cost effective and reach the Lunar Orbit. Finally on August 23 6:14 PM, history was created and India itched it in the history to be the First Nation in the World to land on the Souther Pole of the Moon to bring cheer across the nation as well as left the world in a awestruck moment.
Now, when we look back at the series of events from Chandrayaan-2 to Chandrayaan-3, interestingly we find that the Chandrayaan-2 was well equipped with the communication links that could connect it with the future projects/missions and it did happen when Chandrayaan-2 orbiter successfully communicated with the Vikram Lander from Chandrayaan-3. The communication channel that proved to be successful as well as put the Vikram Lander in a position to receive and send communication directly to the ISRO MOX in Bengaluroo. Something that was missing in earlier missions from ISRO and that led to Data Proliferation from the connecting third country satellites. This was ruled out this time. This certainly helped in MOX letting the Autonomous Landing Module take control of the Lander to Land and ensure that there is No third Party intervention during the Landing Process. One interesting point to ponder –
“Was Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter instrumental in Successful Landing?” – my assessment of the chain of events says – “Yes” it was. Why and How may sound a sort of theory, but what information I have gone through “Indicates” that the Orbiter from Chandrayaan-2 had some crucial information which when supplied to the AI module of Vikram Lander from Chandrayaan-3, helped Vikram Lander to process it from the way the Rough Braking (RB Phase) was to be controlled. And that’s where the key to success lies for ISRO learning from the So Called failure, but coming out as an Ultimate Winner in the Whole case.
This success story is here to teach us the ways to deal with partial success or what the world may taut as Failure and when they look down upon us.
Congratulations ISRO and the Team that made it a Success for the nation.
