Chandrayaan-3


Chandrayaan-3 is a planned third lunar exploration mission by Indian Space Research Organisation.
Following Chandrayaan-2 where a snag in the communication led to subsequent failure of soft landing attempt after a successful orbital insertion, another lunar mission for demonstrating soft landing was proposed. Chandrayaan-3 will be mission repeat of Chandrayaan-2 and will only include a lander and a rover similar to that of Chandrayaan-2 and will not have an orbiter. Realisation within schedule will make ISRO the world's fourth space agency to conduct soft lunar landing after the administration of former USSR, NASA and CNSA.

Background

In the second phase of the Chandrayaan programme to demonstrate soft landing on lunar surface, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-2 onboard a GSLV Mk III rocket consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover. The lander was scheduled to touchdown the lunar surface in September to deploy the rover Pragyan.
Earlier reports had emerged about collaboration with Japan on a mission to lunar south pole where India would be providing lander while Japan would provide launcher and rover. The mission may include site sampling and lunar night survival technologies.
Subsequent failure of Vikram lander led to the pursuit of another mission to demonstrate the landing capabilities needed for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission proposed in partnership with Japan for 2024.

Funding

In December 2019, it was reported that ISRO requested the initial funding of the project, amounting to, out of which will be for meeting expenditure towards machinery, equipment and other capital expenditure, while the remaining is sought under revenue expenditure head.
Confirming the existence of the project, ISRO's chairman K. Sivan stated that the cost would be around.