Global allies in the cosmos: NASA and European space agency elevate India’s lunar ambitions

As the entire nation of 1.4 billion Indians watches with anticipation, India’s Chandrayaan 3 is poised to make history with its descent onto the Moon’s surface. In a remarkable show of international cooperation, two renowned space agencies, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) from the United States and ESA (European Space Agency) are extending their support to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). They will aid in tracking Chandrayaan 3’s spacecraft as it embarks on its historic journey to touch the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan 3’s components, including the Vikram lander and the propulsion module, are currently orbiting the Moon at a distance of about 384,000 kilometers from Earth. Amid the intricate cosmic dance of Earth, Moon, and Sun, Earth-based antennas are following the lander’s gradual descent. An impressive 32-meter dish antenna, the largest in India, located near Bengaluru at Byalalu, is diligently tracking Chandrayaan 3.

However, challenges arise when the lander enters a shadowed region that obstructs its visibility from our ground-based antenna. This is where the extensive deep space networks of NASA and ESA come into play. Their expertise is enlisted to bridge these communication gaps. It’s important to note that this assistance isn’t without cost – India is compensating for this service based on antenna usage and duration.

When Chandrayaan 3 temporarily exits our antenna’s view, NASA or ESA’s networks step in to communicate with the lander. The information relayed by these networks reaches the mission operations team stationed in Bengaluru. It’s crucial to understand that while they facilitate communication, these external networks have no control over the mission’s decisions or communication content. The authority to command the lander remains firmly with ISRO’s mission operations team in Bengaluru.

The highly anticipated Chandrayaan 3 touchdown on the Moon’s surface is expected around 6 pm. The event has sparked mass viewings across the country, with people coming together in collective excitement. Prayers and well-wishes for the mission’s success have become a national sentiment. The stakes are heightened by the recent lunar mission setback of Russia, whose Luna-25 spacecraft experienced an unfortunate crash.

In this grand cosmic endeavor, the collaboration between India’s ISRO, NASA, and ESA exemplifies the spirit of unity that transcends borders and propels human exploration further into the final frontier.

Please, also have a look : https://www.thetatva.in/india/global-allies-in-the-cosmos-nasa-esa/15732/