Aug 24, 2023, 11:42 PM IST

After Chandrayaan-3, ISRO's next space missions

DNA WEB DESK

India made history by being the first nation to set foot on the South Pole of the lunar surface. Images from the spacecraft that show the moon's surface as well as the lander's leg and shadow were released by ISRO.

A landing in the South Pole is challenging due to the rough terrain, but ice there could provide fuel, oxygen, and water for upcoming missions. 

Here is the ISRO's upcoming mission schedule following the success of Chandrayaan-3.

Photo: Twitter/@IndianTechGuide

Aditya L1 is the first solar mission from India with the capability of an observatory in space. The probe will be positioned in a halo orbit 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, at Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system. The main benefit of having a satellite in the halo orbit around the L1 point is that it can continually see the Sun without being blocked by clouds or experiencing an eclipse. Compared to continuous solar activity observation, this will be more advantageous.

Photo: Zee Media Bureau

A low-earth orbit (LEO) observatory being collaboratively built by NASA and ISRO is called NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR). To comprehend changes in the ecology of the planet, ice weight, plant biomass, sea level rise, groundwater, and catastrophic events including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides, NISAR will track the entire world in 12 days. It will also give time and space reliable information.

The Space Docking Experiment, or SPADEX, is a twin spacecraft mission that ISRO is developing to advance methods associated with orbital mission, docking, launch flying, and other nearby operations with a range of uses in human spaceflight, in-space satellite maintenance, and other proximity operations. Two IMS-class (200 kg) satellites, Chaser and Target, would be deployed as co-passengers or supplementary payloads as part of the SPADEX program. The orbits of both aircraft would be slightly altered.

Another planetary project proposed by ISRO for India is the Mars Orbiter project 2, also known as Mangalyaan-2. By 2024, ISRO intends to launch this mission.  After Chandrayaan-3's lunar mission, Mangalyaan-2 is likely to be set off. According to reports, the mission will have a hyperspectral camera, an excellent quality panchromatic camera, and a radar to study recent basalts, boulder falls, and the early Mars surface. 

Launched in 2024, Gaganyaan will be India's first human spaceflight. The first unmanned mission, known as the "G1 mission," will take off in the fourth quarter of 2023, followed by the second unmanned mission, known as the "G2 mission," in the second quarter of 2024, and the final manned space flight, known as the "H1 mission," in the last quarter of 2024.

Shukrayaan I, the name of ISRO's Venus mission, is scheduled to launch in December 2024, according to P. Sreekumar, the Satish Dhawan Professor at ISRO and advisor to its space scientific project. The concept was conceived in 2012, more than ten years ago. There are 19-month periods that are ideal for launch from Earth to Venus. In case it misses the 2024 window, ISRO has "backup" launch dates in 2026 and 2028.

Photos: Pixabay/ Zee Media Bureau/ Twitter