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GS Paper: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

  • NASA’s IBEX spacecraft to study Edge of Solar System

    ibex

    NASA has announced that its Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft is fully operational after the mission team successfully reset it.

    Edge of Solar System: Heliopause

    ibex

    The edge of the Solar System, also known as the heliopause, is the point where the solar wind from the Sun meets the interstellar medium. Here are some key points about the edge of the Solar System:

    • The heliopause is the boundary where the Sun’s solar wind is stopped by the interstellar medium.
    • The Voyager 1 spacecraft crossed the heliopause in 2012, becoming the first man-made object to leave the Solar System.
    • The exact location of the heliopause is not well defined and varies based on the strength of the solar wind and the density of the interstellar medium.
    • The interstellar medium beyond the heliopause is composed of plasma, magnetic fields, and cosmic rays from other stars in the Milky Way galaxy.
    • The edge of the Solar System is being studied by NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission, which is mapping the boundary region where the solar wind meets the interstellar medium.

    Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX)

    • IBEX is a small NASA spacecraft designed to map the boundary where winds from the Sun interact with winds from other stars.
    • The spacecraft is about the size of a bus tire and its instruments look towards the interstellar boundary while it is on its nine-day orbit around our planet.
    • It was launched in 2008 and has spent nearly 15 years in space already.

    Purpose

    • The purpose of IBEX is to study the interaction between the solar wind and the interstellar medium and to map the boundary of the solar system.

    Technology

    • IBEX uses two neutral atom imaging cameras to detect energetic neutral atoms that are created at the boundary of the heliosphere.
    • The cameras are mounted on a spinning spacecraft, allowing them to scan the sky and build up a map of the boundary.

    Discoveries

    Since its launch, IBEX has made several important discoveries, including:

    • The first direct measurements of the interstellar wind, which flows into the solar system from the direction of the constellation Scorpius.
    • The discovery of a “ribbon” of energetic neutral atoms that stretches across the sky, which may be caused by the interaction between the solar wind and the interstellar medium.

    Current Status

    • IBEX is still in operation and continues to gather data about the interstellar boundary.
    • Its mission has been extended several times, with the most recent extension running until 2023.

    Significance

    • IBEX’s findings have increased our understanding of the interaction between the solar wind and the interstellar medium.
    • It has helped to refine models of the heliosphere and the solar system’s place in the galaxy.
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  • Kodaikanal Solar Observatory

    Kodaikanal

    The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO) has been observing the Sun for over a century.

    Why in news?

    • Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO) has been observing the Sun for over a century
    • KoSO has captured images of sunspots and recorded changes in the Sun’s behavior
    • Solar physicists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) have digitized 1.48 lakh solar images captured since 1904

    A Brief History of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory

    • KoSO is one of the world’s oldest observatories studying the Sun.
    • Norman Pogson, astronomer and Government Astronomer of the Madras Observatory, proposed the idea of taking pictures of the Sun using a 20-inch telescope.
    • The Madras Observatory was set up as the private effort of an official of the British East India Company in 1786.
    • The decision to establish a solar observatory was taken in 1893, and Kodaikanal in present-day Tamil Nadu was chosen for its high altitude and dust-free environment.
    • The Solar Physics Observatory opened on April 1, 1899, and was later named KoSO.
    • The Bhavnagar Telescope, named after the Maharaja of Bhavnagar, was one of the more famous instruments at KoSO during the early decades of its operation.
    • A 15cm telescope was used to capture solar images onto a photographic film or plate.
    • Solar magnetic plages and prominences were recorded since 1911, taken on photographic films and plates.

    Solar Observations, One Every Day: How They Are Taken

    • White light images of the Sun have been captured every day since 1904 using a 6-inch telescope
    • Visible light images reveal sunspots on the surface of the Sun.
    • One image is taken daily around 8 am, which has been a fixed routine for over a century now
    • Each observation accompanies the corresponding date and time, which is key for calibration purposes later.
    • These plates or films are sent to the darkroom and developed either the same day or the next day
    • Once the film has been developed, the date and time of observation are written on the plate and entered in the logbook.
    • These plates or films are kept in an envelope with the handwritten date and time of observation and stored carefully in humidity-controlled rooms.

    Arrival of New Technology and the Process of Digitization

    • Between 1904 and 2017, all solar observations were traced onto photographic films and plates
    • A new telescope mounted with CCD cameras has taken over and, since 2017, continued to observe the Sun.
    • Digitization of the records was initiated in 1984 by Prof J C Bhattacharyya, and others continued the effort.
    • In 2018, digitized solar observations for the period 1921-2011 were made available to the scientific community.
    • Raw and calibrated data for the period of 1904 to 2017 were added, and the digitization process is nearly complete.
    • KoSO is now home to a digital repository of a whopping 1.48 lakh solar images adding up to 10 terabyte of data.
    • These include 33,500 white-light images (showing sunspots), 45,000 images of the Ca II K spectral line (which reveals plages), and 70,000 H-alpha photographic plates that show prominences.
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  • Space Debris: India’s Contribution and Efforts to Tackle the Problem

    Space Debris

    Central Idea

    • Space debris, particularly in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), is becoming an increasingly urgent problem due to the rising number of rocket launches and payloads, as well as anti-satellite missile tests and collisions. On March 7, 2023, ISRO successfully carried out a controlled re-entry for the decommissioned Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT1).

    Space Debris

    ISRO’s controlled re-entry of the decommission

    • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out a controlled re-entry of the decommissioned Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT1) satellite.
    • MT1 was launched over a decade ago with the objective of studying clouds in the tropical regions of the world.
    • As the satellite had reached the end of its operational life, ISRO brought it down in a controlled manner to reduce space debris in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and limit the potential risks associated with it.

    Space debris

    • Space debris refers to any human-made object that is in orbit around the Earth but no longer serves any useful purpose. This can include pieces of spacecraft, rocket stages, and other materials that have been left in space after they have completed their missions or have been discarded.
    • Space debris can vary in size, from small paint flecks and bolts to larger objects like satellites and old rocket bodies.
    • There are currently more than 26,000 objects larger than 10 cm in orbit around the Earth, and many smaller objects that are too small to be tracked.

    Space Debris

    Surge in Space Debris

    • Increasing number of payloads: The surging number of rocket launches and the increasing number of payloads carried in recent years have made the space junk problem acute, especially after private companies such as SpaceX launched thousands of satellites to provide Internet access.
    • For instance: In 2022, over 2,160 objects were launched into space, about 300 more than 2021 and 900 more than 2020.
    • Data on fragmented debris: The number of satellites in space has crossed the 10,000 mark, including active and defunct ones still orbiting Earth, and the number of fragmentation debris is hurtling towards the 14,000-mark.
    • Smaller debris poses a bigger challenge: While satellite launches are the reason for the rise in rocket bodies orbiting Earth, fragmented debris are mostly a consequence of collisions and Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile tests. The fragmented junk poses a bigger challenge as tracking debris smaller than 10 centimetres is tough.

    Countries responsible

    • Russia: Close to 35% originated from the Soviet Union/Russia,
    • US: 31% from the U.S.,
    • China: 29% from China, over 2,700 pieces of debris from a Chinese anti-satellite test in 2007, marked as the single worst contamination of space in history, are still in orbit.
    • India: India’s contribution is 0.5%.
    • India added to the problem in 2019 by testing an ASAT missile which targeted a live satellite in LEO which resulted in 400 pieces of orbital debris
    • While all the trackable debris from India’s test have re-entered Earth in subsequent years, over 50 pieces from a break-up event of the 4th stage of PSLV-C3 in 2001 are still in orbit.

    Space Debris

    The cost of avoiding collision

    • High cost: While debris has the potential to cause serious accidents, the cost of manoeuvres to avoid collisions is high.
    • For instance: In 2022, ISS had to conduct two such collision avoidance manoeuvres due to threats posted by debris from Russia’s ASAT test in 2021.
    • Challenges: Such manoeuvres are costly as they require hours of monitoring, fuel for movement, and also result in loss of data as instruments are turned off during such operations.
    • India’s honest efforts:
    • India conducted 21 such corrections for its satellites in 2022, the highest ever for the country.
    • Also, in 2021, ISRO monitored 4,382 events in LEO and 3,148 events in geostationary orbit (GEO) in which debris or other space objects came close to India’s space assets.

    Conclusion

    • Small debris orbiting Earth pose threats to space assets, the immediate need is that the countries must acknowledge the responsibility. India’s continues efforts towards controlled decommission set the bar high.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the challenges posed by increasing space debris and the potential risks associated with it.

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  • NASA hands over NISAR satellite to ISRO

    nisar

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has received the NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) satellite.

    What is NISAR?

    • NISAR has been built by space agencies of the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014.
    • The 2,800 kilograms satellite consists of both L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
    • While NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store data, and a payload data subsystem, ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the GSLV launch system and spacecraft.
    • Another important component of the satellite is its large 39-foot stationary antenna reflector.
    • Made of a gold-plated wire mesh, the reflector will be used to focus the radar signals emitted and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure.

    Objectives of NISAR

    • Once launched into space, NISAR will observe subtle changes in Earth’s surfaces, helping researchers better understand the causes and consequences of such phenomena.
    • It will spot warning signs of natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides.
    • The satellite will also measure groundwater levels, track flow rates of glaciers and ice sheets, and monitor the planet’s forest and agricultural regions, which can improve our understanding of carbon exchange.
    • By using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), NISAR will produce high-resolution images.
    • SAR is capable of penetrating clouds and can collect data day and night regardless of the weather conditions.
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  • Moon to get its own Time Zone

    moon

    The European Space Agency is planning a universal timekeeping system for the moon.

    Timekeeping on the Moon

    • The Moon has its own day and night cycle, which lasts about 29.5 Earth days.
    • This means that if humans were to live on the Moon, they would need to develop their own timekeeping system.
    • Currently, the time on the Moon is measured using Universal Time Coordinated (UTC), which is the same timekeeping system used on the Earth.
    • However, because the Moon’s day is much longer than Earth’s day, it would be difficult to use UTC for day-to-day activities on the Moon.

     

    Universal Time Coordinated (UTC)

    • Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) is a time standard used to keep time consistent around the world.
    • UTC is based on International Atomic Time (TAI), which is maintained by atomic clocks around the world.
    • It is the primary time standard used by many countries, international organizations, and scientific research institutions.
    • UTC is expressed as a 24-hour clock and is used to indicate the time offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+0).
    • Time zones are defined as an offset from UTC, with some time zones being ahead of UTC (UTC+1, UTC+2, etc.) and others being behind UTC (UTC-1, UTC-2, etc.).
    • UTC is adjusted periodically to account for changes in the Earth’s rotation, which can cause variations in the length of a day.
    • These adjustments are made through the addition of leap seconds to UTC, which help to keep the time standard synchronized with the Earth’s rotation.

     

    Why need lunar time zone?

    • The Moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite, and humans have been interested in exploring and colonizing it for many years.
    • With recent advancements in space technology, there is renewed interest in lunar exploration and settlement.

    Proposed Lunar Time Zone

    • To address this issue, scientists and researchers have proposed creating a lunar time zone that would be based on the Moon’s day and night cycle.
    • This would make it easier for lunar settlers to keep track of time and coordinate activities.

    Benefits offered

    • Having a lunar time zone would also make it easier for scientists and researchers to conduct experiments and collect data on the Moon.
    • It would also help to prevent confusion and errors that could arise from using different timekeeping systems on Earth and the Moon.

    Various challenges

    • Time on Earth is precisely tracked by atomic clocks, but synchronizing time on the moon is tricky because clocks run faster there, gaining around 56 microseconds, or millionths of a second, per day.
    • It would also be difficult to establish a consistent time zone for the entire Moon, given that the terrain and lighting conditions vary widely across its surface.
    • Additionally, any timekeeping system on the Moon would need to be able to account for the Moon’s irregular rotation and movement.

     

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  • What are ‘Bio-Computers’ and what can they tell us about the human brain?

    bio-computer

    Central idea: Johns Hopkins University scientists have proposed creation of Bio-Computers’ using a new area of research called “organoid intelligence”.

    Background

    • JHU scientists will harness the processing power of the brain and help understand the biological basis of human cognition, learning, and neurological disorders.
    • Traditional methods of studying the human brain involve using rat brains, which are structurally and functionally different from human brains.

    Building brain organoids in the lab

    • Scientists are building 3D cultures of brain tissue in the lab, called brain organoids, using human stem cells.
    • Brain organoids capture many structural and functional features of a developing human brain and are being used to study human brain development and test drugs.
    • However, brain organoids developed in the lab lack sensory inputs and blood circulation, which limits their growth and sophistication.

    Transplanting brain organoids

    • Scientists have transplanted human brain organoid cultures into rat brains, where they formed connections with the rat brain and were functionally active.
    • However, human brain organoids are still nested in the rat-brain microenvironment, which limits their relevance to humans.

    What is the new “bio-computer”?

    • The JHU researchers’ scheme combines brain organoids with modern computing methods to create “bio-computers”.
    • Brain organoids will be grown inside flexible structures affixed with multiple electrodes to record the firing patterns of neurons and deliver electrical stimuli.
    • Machine-learning techniques will be used to analyze the response patterns of neurons and their effect on human behavior or biology.

    Opportunities for “bio-computers”

    • Brain organoids can be developed using stem cells from individuals with neurodegenerative diseases or cognitive disorders to reveal the biological basis of human cognition, learning, and memory.
    • “Bio-computers” could help decode the pathology of and develop drugs for neurodevelopmental and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and microcephaly.

    Challenges for bio-computers

    • Brain organoids have a diameter of less than 1 mm and have fewer than 100,000 cells on average, limiting their computing capacity.
    • Researchers will have to develop microfluidic systems to transport oxygen and nutrients and remove waste products.
    • The hybrid systems will generate large amounts of data that will need to be stored and analyzed using “Big Data” infrastructure and advanced analytical techniques.
    • An ethics team is proposed to identify, discuss, and analyze ethical issues as they arise in the course of this work.

    Conclusion

    • Biocomputers will harness the processing power of the brain and help understand the biological basis of human cognition, learning, and various neurological disorders.
    • Scaling up brain organoids and developing microfluidic systems and analytical techniques are the key challenges.
    • Ethical issues arising from the development of biocomputers will be analyzed by an ethics team.

     

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  • Foldscope: A new paper microscope

    fold

    Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have developed a cheap paper microscope (foldscope) connected to a smartphone camera that could find wider application in a variety of research areas, and in some cases potentially replace more expensive equipment.

    What is Foldscope?

    • The Foldscope is a handheld microscope made mostly of paper that can be easily linked to a smartphone camera.
    • It has a magnification of around 140x and can identify objects just 2 micrometres wide.
    • It was first created by researchers at Stanford University in 2014.
    • IISc version of Foldscope costs around Rs 400, much cheaper than that of Stanford’s one.

    How is Foldscope comparable to electron microscope?

    • The researchers found that Foldscope could capture the roundness and aspect ratio of an object to within 5% of those imaged by a state-of-the-art instrument called a scanning electron microscope (SEM).
    • SEM costs more than Rs 50 lakh each.
    • Preparing a sample for study through a Foldscope takes less than an hour, whereas the same process for an SEM was “tedious and time-consuming”.

    Potential applications

    • Foldscopes can be used in pharmaceuticals (to inspect drug products), environmental science (to observe pollutants), and cosmetics (to observe powders and emulsions), among other fields.
    • They can also be used to study “soil particles’ morphology,” which can “help understand soil structure, nutrient availability, and plant growth” in agriculture.
    • It allows for in-field soil analysis and visualisation of soil structure per Indian Standard Soil Classification System which earlier required bulky microscopes with high resolution.
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  • Artificial intelligence (AI): AI Arms Race and India

    AI

    Central Idea

    • Hosting the G20 leaders’ summit later this year is an excellent opportunity for India to demonstrate its capabilities and contributions to information technology and the digital economy. The newest weapons will not be the biggest bombs, tanks or missiles but AI-powered applications and devices which will be used to wage and win wars. India must wake up to the challenge to protect itself against the potential consequences of an AI war.

    (Source: Indian Express, Article is written by Aasif Shah, a fellow from IIT Madras and winner of the Young Researcher Award 2022 from Indian Commerce Association)

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    Interesting: Message from Robot

    • Recalling the conversation between the world’s first human robot Sophia and CNBC’s Andrew Ross, in which he voiced his concerns about advancements in Artificial intelligence (AI), We all want to prevent a bad future where robots turn against humans,
    • Sophia retorted, don’t worry if you’re nice to me, I will be nice to you.
    • The message was clear: It is up to humans and nations how they utilise AI and appreciate its advantages.
    • The astonishing AI advancements are nothing but a warning to prepare for the unexpected.

    What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

    • AI is a constellation of technologies that enable machines to act with higher levels of intelligence and emulate the human capabilities of sense, comprehend and act.
    • The natural language processing and inference engines can enable AI systems to analyze and understand the information collected.
    • An AI system can also take action through technologies such as expert systems and inference engines or undertake actions in the physical world.
    • These human-like capabilities are augmented by the ability to learn from experience and keep adapting over time.
    • AI systems are finding ever-wider application to supplement these capabilities across various sectors.

    AI

    The AI growth in recent times

    • AI has grown significantly in recent times: There is widespread fear that as the usage of AI increases, both blue- and white-collar workers may be replaced and rendered unemployed. But despite criticism in some parts of the world, AI has grown significantly in recent times.
    • Global Market size: The global AI market size was estimated at $65.48 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $1,581.70 billion by 2030, according to a recent Bloomberg report.
    • Applications and global impact: The growing impact of AI on banking and financial markets, e-commerce, education, gaming and entertainment is changing the world order.
    • Driving forces: The driving forces behind the evolution of AI growth are greater availability of data, higher computing power and advancements in AI algorithms.
    • Many people believe that AI has little bearing on their daily lives: In actuality, we all interact with AI through social media, transportation, banking, cell phones, smartwatches, and other devices.

    AI

    The Real AI threat: AI arms race

    • An Iranian nuclear scientist was hit by machine gun fire in 2020.
    • It was later discovered that the scientist was actually targeted and killed by an Israeli remote-controlled machine gun using AI.
    • There are a series of similar adverse incidents that spark moral discussions regarding the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI.
    • The AI arms race between countries like the US, China and Russia, points to the possibility that AI can escalate global conflict and pose significant security risks.
    • Smaller countries like Israel and Singapore are also in the lead.

    Where does India stand in the AI ecosystem?

    • Investments in India is increasing: According to a Nasscom report, investments in AI applications in India are expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.8 per cent and reach $881 million during 2023.
    • Contribution of India: The report further added that although there is a massive increase in global investments in AI, the contribution of India has remained at 1.5 per cent.
    • Centres of Excellence for artificial intelligence (AI): In the Budget 2023-24 speech, finance minister made an announcement about the government’s intent to establish three Centres of Excellence for artificial intelligence (AI) in prestigious educational institutions in India.

    AI

    Conclusion

    • Of late India has made considerable strides in digital technology. It is currently the third-largest startup hub in the world and is home to many leading technology companies. However, India still lags behind China in terms of overall AI capabilities. China is leading the way in terms of research, development and AI applications, including development of intelligent robots, autonomous systems, and intelligent transportation systems. The current trend of AI development suggests that it will determine future economies and national security to influence world politics.

    Mains Question

    Q. The newest weapons will not be the biggest bombs, tanks or missiles but AI-powered applications and devices which will be used to wage and win wars. Discuss.

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  • Proton Beam Therapy out of reach for many

    proton

    There is currently a demand-supply gap of proton beam therapy machines in India, leaving many cancer patients in a difficult situation.

    What is Proton Beam Therapy?

    • Proton beam therapy is a type of radiation therapy — a treatment that uses high-energy beams to treat tumors.
    • Radiation therapy using X-rays has long been used to treat cancers and noncancerous (benign) tumors.
    • It uses protons rather than x-rays to treat cancer. At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells.
    • It can also be combined with x-ray radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy.
    • Like x-ray radiation, proton therapy is a type of external-beam radiation therapy.

    How it works?

    proton

    • Fundamentally, all tissue cells are made up of molecules with atoms as their building blocks.
    • In the center of every atom is the nucleus. Orbiting the nucleus of the atom are negatively charged electrons.
    • When energized protons pass near orbiting electrons, the positive charge of the protons attracts the negatively charged electrons, pulling them out of their orbits. This is called ionization.
    • It changes the characteristics of the atom and consequentially the character of the molecule within which the atom resides.
    • Because of ionization, the radiation damages molecules within the cells, especially the DNA.
    • Damaging the DNA destroys specific cell functions, particularly the ability to divide or proliferate.
    • While both normal and cancerous cells go through this repair process, a cancer cell’s ability to repair molecular injury is frequently inferior.
    • As a result, cancer cells sustain more permanent damage and subsequent cell death than occurs in the normal cell population.

    Why in news?

    • There is currently a significant demand-supply gap of proton beam therapy machines in India, with only a few machines available in the country.
    • This has resulted in long wait times for patients who need the treatment, and many patients are forced to travel abroad to access the treatment, which can be prohibitively expensive.

    Various challenges

    • Huge demand: The demand for PBT machines is also increasing, as more and more patients are being diagnosed with cancer and are seeking the latest and most effective treatments available.
    • High cost: One of the major challenges in setting up PBT machines is the high cost involved, as the machines are complex and require a significant investment.
    • Shortage of personnel: In addition, there is a shortage of trained personnel who can operate and maintain the machines, which further limits their availability.

    Way Forward

    • The government and private sector need to invest more in setting up and maintaining the machines. This could include-
    1. Offering tax incentives and subsidies to private healthcare providers who invest in PBT machines
    2. Providing training and education to personnel who can operate and maintain the machines
    3. Setting up more public hospitals that offer proton beam therapy, which would help to make the treatment more accessible and affordable to patients who need it

     

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  • ISRO successful in key test for Chandrayaan-3 Mission

    chandrayaan

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted a crucial test for its upcoming Chandrayaan-3 mission.

    What was the test?

    • The test involved the high-thrust cryogenic engine, which will be used to power the rocket that carries the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.
    • The engine was tested for its endurance and performance under various conditions.

    About Chandrayaan-3 Mission

    • The Chandrayaan-3 mission is the third lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
    • The mission follows the successful Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions, which were launched in 2008 and 2019 respectively.
    • The Chandrayaan-3 mission is designed to further explore the Moon’s South Pole region and conduct various scientific experiments, including studying the lunar surface, mineralogy, and the presence of water.

    Significance of the recent test

    • With the successful test of the high-thrust cryogenic engine, ISRO is now one step closer to launching the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
    • The mission is expected to be a significant step forward in India’s space exploration efforts and will further our understanding of the Moon and its potential for future exploration and exploitation.

    Chandrayaan-2: A quick recap

    • Chandrayaan-2 consisted of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover, all equipped with scientific instruments to study the moon.
    • The Orbiter would watch the moon from a 100-km orbit, while the Lander and Rover modules were to be separated to make a soft landing on the moon’s surface.
    • ISRO had named the Lander module as Vikram, after Vikram Sarabhai, the pioneer of India’s space programme, and the Rover module as Pragyaan, which crash-landed.

    Inception of Chandrayaan 3

    • The subsequent failure of the Vikram lander led to the pursuit of another mission to demonstrate the landing capabilities needed for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission proposed in partnership with Japan for 2024.

    Its design

    • The lander for Chandrayaan-3 will have only four throttle-able engines.
    • Unlike Vikram on Chandrayaan-2 which had five 800N engines with a fifth one being centrally mounted with a fixed thrust.
    • Additionally, the Chandrayaan-3 lander will be equipped with a Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV).

    Back2Basics: Chandrayaan-1 Mission

    • The Chandrayaan-1 mission was launched in October 2008 was ISRO’s first exploratory mission to the moon, in fact to any heavenly body in space.
    • The mission was designed to just orbit around the moon and make observations with the help of the instruments onboard.
    • The closest that the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft came to the moon was in an orbit 100 km from its surface.

     

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