ISRO: Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully completes vibration and acoustic tests

Indicating its rapid progress towards getting its third lunar spacecraft mission-ready, the Indian space agency has revealed that theChandrayaan-3 integrated spacecraft underwent crucial tests. The integrated spacecraft, comprising the propulsion module, lander and rover, underwent tests to check whether it can handle the excess amounts of noise and vibration that are generated at the time of the rocket's launch and flight.

For context, the sound emanating from the launch of the LVM3 rocket(which is meant to launch Chandrayaan-3) can be heard at least for an eight-kilometre radius around the launchpad. Nestled securely in the nose cone(payload fairing) of the rocket, the spacecraft would have to operate normally even after being exposed to such noise and vibration at launch. Though the payload fairing is adequately protected to shield the spacecraft from the harsh launch environment, it is essential to test and ensure the survivability of the spacecraft.

ISRO carried out these tests at the UR Rao Satellite Centre(URSC) in Bengaluru, India's lead facility for designing, developing and building satellites and interplanetary probes. "These tests were particularly challenging, considering the fact that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is a composite of three modules -Propulsion Module, Lander Module and the Rover module," ISRO said. The vibration and acoustic tests carried out on the integrated spacecraft have provided sufficient confidence in the structural integrity and survivability in the launch environment, the Indian Space agency added.

WATCH |Cryogenic engine for ISRO's third lunar mission

In recent weeks, ISRO had been making many revelations about the tests that are being carried out in the run-up to the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Intense testing is being carried out on both the rocket components and the spacecraft performance and related parameters. The CE-20 Cryogenic engine of the LVM3 rocket was successfully test-fired at ISRO's Propulsion Complex, the spacecraft was tested for Electromagnetic interference and Electromagnetic compatibility to ensure that it can function in the unforgiving environs of space and lunar orbit.

ISRO Chairman Dr S.Somanath has been pointing out that the Chandrayaan-3 Lunar lander-rover probe could be launched around June-July 2023 and ISRO's efforts towards testing the rocket and satellite components show the pace of activity towards the high-profile mission. ISRO has performed two Lunar missions to date - Chandrayaan-1 lunar orbiter in 2008 (which is credited with affirming the presence of water molecules on the moon) and Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. The orbiter-lander-rover mission in 2019 did not accomplish its major goal of a controlled lunar landing and the lander-rover was lost on un controlled impact onto the moon's surface. The Chandrayaan-2 rover continues to orbit the moon and provide valuable data, ISRO has said and this orbiter would also be used to support the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which doesn't have an orbiter of its own.

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