Chandrayaan-3 lander snaps far side of the Moon as it readies for touchdown

The countdown to the touchdown of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)’s Chandryaan-3 spacecraft has now begun. With just 3 days to go, the anticipation is building up. The last-minute failure of Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft, which was also on a similar mission, means that all eyes are on the Indian spacecraft. With the touchdown looming, ISRO has now shared new images of the far side of the Moon captured by the camera aboard the Chandrayaan-3.

Chandrayaan-3 snaps lunar far side

The images were captured by Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC) aboard the spacecraft, which aids in locating a safe landing area, avoiding any deep trenches or huge rocks that could hamper the landing. The LHDAC camera was developed by ISRO at the Space Applications Center, a space for designing space-borne instruments for ISRO missions.

Of the four images shared by ISRO’s official account on X, the first image features the Hayn impact crater on the northeast area of the Moon, which is nearly 87 kilometers wide. The second image snapped the Boss crater which is also located nearby. It is named after the American astronomer Lewis Boss. The third image is not of a crater, but of Mare Humboldtianum, a basaltic plain on the lunar surface formed as a result of an ancient asteroid impact. The fourth snapshot features the massive Belʹkovich impact crater which is almost 214 kilometers wide. Since all of these formations are located on the far side of the Moon, they are not easily visible from Earth due to the libration effect.

Chandrayaan-3: Touchdown soon

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is reaching a critical point as the spacecraft prepares for its historic touchdown, which is anticipated to occur on August 23 at 6:04 PM IST. The Chandrayaan-3 comprises of 3 components – a lunar lander named Vikram, a rover named Pragyan, and the propulsion module. While the propulsion module will continue to orbit in space, conducting a series of experiments for months or even years, the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover will touchdown on the far side of the Moon.

If the soft landing is successful, it would cement India’s position as the fourth nation to successfully achieve a soft lunar landing, following in the footsteps of the United States, Russia, and China.