New Delhi: Chandrayaan-3 is likely to be launched on July 13, by which a ‘rover’ will be landed on the lunar surface. A senior official said that Chandrayaan-3 will be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 2.30 pm on July 13. However, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chairman S Somnath said that the date is yet to be finalised, adding that a date between July 12 and 19 is being considered.
Responding to questions about the July 13 launch date, he said, “As of now, the option of July 12 to 19 (any date) has been kept open.” It could be July 12, 13 or 14 or go till the end (July 19), provided no technical issues arise. Somnath said, “No exact date has been declared. We will arrive at that exact date after all the investigations are done…the final date will be within this range. ISRO said that Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is fully ready. Somnath said, “Right now this is being linked with the rocket and probably this work will be completed in another two-three days, then we have to go into the test program.
He said that after being attached to the rocket, a series of tests would also be done. It is a mission after Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate the capability to safely land on the lunar surface and perform activities there. A ‘lander and a’ rover are being sent to the moon through Chandrayaan-3. The propulsion module will propel the ‘lander’ and ‘rover’ to a 100-km lunar orbit.
