The comment refers to the mission Chandrayan 2 2019, which includes an orbiter, lander and rover. The lunar orbiter has been operating successfully for more than two years, but Vikram Lander suffered a hard landing after losing control of the spacecraft’s thrust.
To avoid a similar incident at Chandrayaan 3, ISRO made adjustments to the lander. “There is a change in the propulsion system. We are being tested at the Mahendragiri Liquid Propulsion Center,” Somanath said.
Although the test data is excellent, the ISRO operates with caution. “We want to go very, very carefully this time because we know how to go to the moon,” Somanath said.
The Chandrayaan 3 mission includes a new lander and a rover but no orbiter. Similar to Chandrayaan 2, the mission is expected to target a landing zone near the poles and will operate for one lunar day (14 Earth days) on the surface. The lander could not survive the extreme cold of the lunar night.
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