Chandrayaan-3 Will Land Safely Even If Everything Goes Wrong: Scientist

Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander is equipped with an integrated "salvage mode," ensuring a contingency landing capability even in the face of potential setbacks, an aerospace expert revealed. This advanced feature has been developed following thorough improvements following the Chandrayaan-2 mission's shortcomings. Assurances have been given that the lander will indeed achieve a secure landing.

Professor Radhakant Padhi, an Aerospace Scientist affiliated with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, elucidated that Chandrayaan-2's mishap was due to the Vikram lander's inability to manage its descent speed, leading to instability. An algorithm malfunction was identified as the cause, which has since been rectified. Notably, the Vikram lander's structural strength has been bolstered.

With involvement in both the Chandrayaan 2 and 3 projects, Radhakant Padhi emphasized that Chandrayaan-3's design philosophy is predicated on ensuring a successful landing despite unfavorable circumstances. The Aerospace department of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, is also actively contributing to the moon mission.

Padhi underscored that Chandrayaan-2 may have suffered from overconfidence within the Indian space agency ISRO. In contrast, Chandrayaan-3's design is built to withstand unforeseen challenges, aiming for a six "sigma bounds" level of resilience.

The meticulous preparation for Chandrayaan-3 was highlighted by Padhi, indicating that ISRO had meticulously addressed all conceivable uncertainties. Given the complexities of replicating lunar conditions on Earth, Vikram Lander is equipped with hazard detection capabilities, allowing it to identify optimal landing sites.

Notable upgrades include the presence of two on-board computers in the Vikram Lander, a distinction from Chandrayaan-2 which had only one. Padhi expressed his high confidence, estimating a "99.9%" likelihood of the Vikram Lander's success in performing as intended.

Recent lunar images captured by Chandrayaan-3's lander revealed significant craters, a task carried out by the lander's camera to facilitate a secure touchdown within the unexplored lunar south polar region.

The scheduled landing is slated for Wednesday evening at 6:04 pm, aiming for a momentous achievement in India's space exploration history. Successful execution will position India alongside the United States, Russia, and China as the fourth nation to successfully accomplish this lunar landing feat.