'15 minutes of terror’: Chandrayaan-3's daring lunar touchdown effort explained

India is embarking on yet another lunar journey. Four years after the partial failure of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to make another bold attempt at a lunar landing on the south pole of the moon. In the upcoming hours, the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which is currently orbiting the Moon, will commence a meticulously calculated descent towards the lunar terrain.

Former ISRO chief K Sivan labelled this landing phase as the "fifteen minutes of terror," a term that gained prominence during the Chandrayaan-2 mission's first unsuccessful attempt. This phrase concisely captures the intricate nature of the mission's final stage. The Chandrayaan-2 stumbled during this phase, as the Vikram lander encountered difficulties transitioning from a horizontal to a vertical orientation. Consequently, it crashed onto the lunar surface while entering the "fine braking phase," merely 7.42 kilometre away from its intended landing point.

As the Chandrayaan-3 lander approaches the crucial juncture today, on August 23, it will undertake a pivotal technical manoeuvre. This manoeuvre involves transitioning the craft from a high-speed horizontal orientation to a gradual vertical descent, facilitating a gentle touchdown on the lunar surface.

As per ISRO's plans, the module will undergo internal checks and remain stationed at the designated landing site until sunrise. The powered descent, aimed at ensuring a soft landing on the Moon's terrain, is scheduled to commence around 5:45 pm on Wednesday.

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Upon a successful landing, Vikram, accompanied by the Pragyaan rover nestled within, will initiate a sequence of experiments encompassing analysis of lunar surface composition and soil properties, documentation of heat retention in the polar regions of the Moon, investigation into seismic activity around the landing vicinity, and measurement of Earth's proximity from the lunar South Pole.

WATCH: Chandrayaan-3 moon landing LIVE

The mission of Vikram and Pragyaan will span 14 days—the duration of available sunlight near the lunar South Pole post-landing—after which their power is projected to wane. Concurrently, the Chandrayaan-3 "mothership" will persist in lunar orbit, undertaking experiments designed to study Earth from this unique vantage point.

The culmination of these diverse experiments is anticipated to deepen our comprehension of the Moon's potential to facilitate future human exploration of its surface and valuable resources.

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