Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Explained
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the highly anticipated Chandrayaan-3 mission, a follow-up to the Chandrayaan-2 mission that faced challenges during its soft landing attempt in 2019. The new mission aims to demonstrate India’s capability to safely land and explore the lunar surface
Begining
Chandrayaan-3’s development phase commenced in January 2020, with scientists and engineers working on the spacecraft’s design and assembly. Learning from the previous mission’s setbacks, ISRO has made enhancements, including stronger impact legs for the lander
Timeline
Chandrayaan-3 will be launched aboard the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM 3) rocket. Unlike its predecessor, the orbiter will not be included in this mission. The spacecraft is expected to reach the moon’s South Pole and operate for one lunar day, approximately 14 earth days. The trajectory will follow a similar path as Chandrayaan-2, with the propulsion module orbiting the Earth several times before heading towards the moon. Once within the moon’s gravitational pull, the module will adjust its orbit to a circular path of about 100 x 100 km. Subsequently, the lander will separate and descend to the lunar surface.
Objectives
The journey from Earth to the moon is estimated to take around a month. The landing is currently scheduled for August 23-24, with potential adjustments depending on the sunrise over the moon. If necessary, ISRO will reschedule the landing for September. Upon landing, the lander named ‘Vikram’ will deploy its four scientific payloads to study the moon’s surface temperature and subterranean characteristics. Additionally, the lander carries an instrument called ‘Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth’ (SHAPE), designed to collect data on light emission and reflection from Earth. The rover, ‘Pragyan,’ will explore the lunar surface using chemical tests as it moves across the terrain.
Why explore Moon?
The Moon offers a multitude of answers and opportunities across various domains, comparable to the countless craters dotting its surface. As the Moon formed from Earth, it serves as a repository of Earth’s early history, preserving records that have been erased on our dynamic planet due to geological processes. Exploring the Moon provides scientists with invaluable insights into Earth’s origins, the formation and evolution of the Earth-Moon system, and the influence of asteroid impacts on Earth’s past and potentially its future
First to land on Moon’s South Pole
The Chandrayaan-3 will the first to land on Moon’s South Pole. No human missions so far, including the human Moon missions of the United States, have taken any spacecraft to the South Pole. Therefore, the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on Moon’s South Pole will be a demonstration of technical prowess and bold spacefaring ambitions. The lunar south pole is of special interest because parts of it remain permanently in shadow, raising the possibility of sampling Moon ice for the first time. Moreover, the large craters near the lunar south pole might contain clues to the composition of the early Solar System. This will be the first time any tests would be conducted on the South Pole, so data and conclusions drawn are set to be studied keenly across the world. Note: Notably, this is India’s second mission to South Pole. The Chandrayaan-1 (2008) was intentionally crashed into the South Pole that confirmed the presence of water ice in a major discovery.
LVM-3 aka Bahubali of Rockets
The LVM-3 is a heavy-lift launch vehicle, which means that it can carry a large payload into space. It is the most powerful rocket that ISRO has ever developed, and it is unmatched in its class. Christened as the ‘Bahubali’ of rockets, LVM-3 is a three-stage rocket, consisting of two solid-fuel boosters and a liquid-fuel core stage powering it. The solid-fuel boosters provide the initial thrust, while the liquid-fuel core stage provides the sustained thrust to propel the rocket into orbit. The rocket is powered by two solid strap-on motors (S200), one liquid core stage (L110), and a high-thrust cryogenic upper stage (C25) with a propellant loading of 28 tons. The LVM-3 has a lift-off mass of 640 tonnes, and it can carry a payload of up to 4,000 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). LVM-3 has been used to launch a number of different satellites in the past, including the GSAT-19 communication satellite, the Astrosat astronomy satellite, and the Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission. It is also scheduled to be used to launch the Gaganyaan crewed mission, which will be India’s first human spaceflight.
How does it work?
The rocket operates using a staged combustion cycle, employing liquid-fueled engines for its core and strapon boosters. The core stage of the rocket is powered by two Vikas engines, each generating an impressive thrust of 720 kN. Meanwhile, two solid propellant boosters provide additional thrust during the initial phase of the launch. The upper stage of the LVM-3 utilizes the CE20 engine, an ndigenously developed cryogenic engine, which provides the necessary thrust to reach the desired orbit. The 43.5 m tall three-stage launch vehicle gives India full self-reliance in launching heavier communication satellites that weigh up to 4000 kg in GTO. The rocket was previously known as the GSLV-MkIII, however, the Indian space agency has rebranded it as LVM-3 and has so far flown three successful missions. The Chandrayaan-3 launch will be its fourth mission to propel a payload beyond the orbit of Earth.
Here are the different kinds of moon missions that have been launched so far:
1. Flybys: These are the missions in which the spacecraft passed near the Moon but did not get into an orbit around it. These were either designed to study the Moon from a distance or were on their way to some other planetary body or deep space exploration and happened to pass by the celestial body. Some early examples of flyby missions were Pioneer 3 and 4 by the United States and Luna 3 of the then USSR.
2. Orbiters: These were spacecraft that were designed to get into a lunar orbit and carry out prolonged studies of the Moon’s surface and atmosphere. India’s Chandrayaan-1 was an Orbiter, as were 46 other Moon missions from various countries. Orbiter missions are the most common way to study a planetary body. So far, landings have been possible only on the Moon, Mars and Venus. All other planetary bodies have been studied through orbiter or flyby missions. Chandrayaan-2 mission also consisted of an orbiter, which is still operational and orbiting the Moon at an altitude of around 100 km.
3. Impact Mission: These are an extension of Orbiter missions. While the main spacecraft keeps going around the Moon, one or more instruments on board make an uncontrolled landing on the lunar surface. They get destroyed after the impact, but still send some useful information about the Moon while on their way. One of the instruments on Chandrayaan-1, called Moon Impact Probe, or MIP, was also made to crash land on the Moon’s surface in a similar way. ISRO claimed that the data sent by the MIP had presented additional evidence of the presence of water on the Moon, but these findings could not be published because of calibration errors.
4. Landers: These missions involve the soft landing of the spacecraft on the Moon. These are more complicated than the Orbiter missions. In fact, the first 11 attempted lander missions had all ended in failure. The first landing on the moon was accomplished on January 31, 1966, by the Luna 9 spacecraft of the then USSR. It also relayed the first picture from the Moon’s surface.
5. Human missions: These involve the landing of astronauts on the moon’s surface. So far only NASA ofthe United States has been able to land human beings onthe moon. So far, six teams of two astronauts each havelanded on the moon, all between 1969 and 1972. After that, no attempt has been made to land on the Moon. But with NASA’s Artemis III, currently planned for 2025, humanity is set to once again to the lunar surface in more than 50 years.
6.Rovers: These are an extension of the lander missions. The lander spacecraft, because they are bulky and have to stand on legs, remain stationary after landing. The instruments on board can carry out observations and collect data from close quarters but cannot come in contact with the Moon’s surface or move around. Rovers are designed to overcome this difficulty. Rovers are special wheeled payloads on the lander that can detach themselves from the spacecraft and move around on the moon’s surface, collecting very useful information that instruments within the lander would not be able to obtain. The rover onboard Vikram lander in the Chandrayaan-2 mission was called Pragyaan.
India’s Chandrayaan-3 and its benefits for the US
The data from Chandrayaan-3 could prove useful for future Artemis human landings. India has signed the Artemis Accords, which advance a common vision of space exploration for the benefit of all humankind. Chandrayaan-3’s major goal is to land safely on the lunar surface, undertake rover operations, and conduct critical scientific investigations. This project has enormous promise for the future of space travel, with data from it likely to benefit NASA’s Artemis program, which intends to establish a long-term human presence on the moon.
What is the Uniform Civil Code all about?
What is the Uniform Civil Code? Is it a part of the Constitution?
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) aims to enforce a uniform legal framework to all citizens, irrespective of their religion. Right now, matters including marriage, divorce and succession are governed by religion-based personal laws. UCC is part of Part IV of the Constitution which includes the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP). Article 44 in DPSP states that “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”.
What is the historical background to its enforcement, and why has it been patchy across religions and castes?
The UCC can be traced back to the debates during the framing of the Indian Constitution. Some members of the Constituent Assembly, including Dr BR Ambedkar believed that a UCC was necessary to promote gender equality, secularism, and national integration. However, many other members including Nazirrudin Ahmad were against it, claiming that the religious laws of different communities should not be tampered with, without their consent. The implementation of the code has been patchy because India is a diverse country with the various religious communities following their own personal laws. For instance, the laws of succession for most religions are skewed towards the male children of an “interstate” person. The legal marriageable age for Muslim women is different from the others. While some religious and customary personal laws permit polygamy and polyandry, others do not. Similarly, the grounds for divorce and alimony are different in various religious laws.
Examples of Different Civil Codes in India, In India, personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and other such matters are based on religious texts and customs. The major religious communities in India, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs, have their own distinct personal laws.
1. Hindu Personal Law: The Hindu personal laws are derived from ancient religious texts and customs. The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 governs marriage and divorce among Hindus, while the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 deals with inheritance. Under the Hindu Succession Act of 1956, (which governs the rights of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs) Hindu women have equal rights to inherit property from their parents and have the same entitlement as Hindu men.
2. Muslim Personal Law: Muslims in India follow the Muslim Personal Law, which is based on the Shariah. The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 regulates matters related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance among Muslims.
3. For Christians, Parsis, and Jews, the Indian Succession Act of 1925 applies. Christian women receive a predetermined share based on the presence of children or other relatives. Parsi widows receive an equal share as their children, with half of the child’s share going to the deceased’s parents if they are alive.
Which States/UTs have adopted it?
Even though many States including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Assam have expressed their willingness to follow the UCC, none have officially adopted it. However, a version of the UCC is in place in Goa. It follows the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867, which means that people of all religions in Goa are subject to the same laws on marriage, divorce, and succession. The Goa Daman and Diu Administration Act of 1962, which was passed after Goa joined the union as a territory in 1961, gave Goa permission to apply the Civil Code.
How did the recent furore over the Uniform Civil Code start?
The demand to implement the UCC has come up many times, notably, in 1985, during the hearing of the Shah Bano case. The Supreme Court here ruled that Shah Bano, a Muslim woman, who was divorced by her husband, be given financial support. This led to a backlash since this was against Muslim personal laws. However, this was overturned by the Rajiv Gandhi government, which did not want to ruffle the feathers of the religious conservatives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call implement it, in a political rally in Bhopal has brought the issue back to the fore.
What are the arguments in favour of the UCC?
Many believe that UCC is important for national integrity and equality of genders and religions. The supporters argue that personal laws based on religion can sometimes lead to discriminatory practices, especially against women. Another argument is that a common civil code would reinforce the principles of secularism in India. Legal experts also say that the implementation of the UCC will make legislation in terms of succession and divorce easier and will oust alot of outdated religious personal laws.
What are the people opposed to the UCC saying?
People opposing it say that the UCC could infringe upon religious freedom and might clash with religious practices. Since India is a diverse nation with various cultures, there are arguments that different communities should have the right to maintain their distinct customs and practices and that a law should not be implemented on minority communities without their consent.
Indian refiners are paying for Russian oil with Chinese money
Indian companies have begun to pay for the import of Russian crude oil not in the dollar, as was traditionally the practice, nor even in the rupee or the rouble, but the Chinese currency, the yuan. At a time when there is considerable friction in relations between New Delhi and Beijing, the reasons for this move are hard to fathom.
After the considerable military, political and diplomatic turbulence, particularly in the last three years, the Indian policy transformation was unexpected. Has New Delhi forgotten, or consciously decided to ignore, the switchover from the dollar to the yuan for the sake of the “bigger picture” and long-term national interest — despite the uncivilised and aggressive behaviour by the overlords of the Communist Party of China on trade, terror, territory, telecommunications, fake tourism and the People’s Liberation Army’s penetration into Ladakh, Galwan, Tawang and Arunachal over last four years?
Indian refiners have begun paying for some oil imports from Russia in Chinese yuan, as Western sanctions force Moscow and its customers to find alternatives to the dollar for settling payments. Western punishments over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have shifted global trade flows for its top export, with India emerging as the largest buyer of seaborne Russian oil even as it casts about for how to pay for it amid shifting sanctions. The US dollar has long been the main global oil currency, including for purchases by India, but now the yuan is playing an increasingly important role in Russia’s financial system because Moscow has been frozen out of the dollar and euro financial networks by international sanctions. China has also shifted to the yuan for most of its energy imports from Russia, which overtook Saudi Arabia to become China’s top crude supplier in the first quarter this year.
Indian Oil Corp, the country’s biggest buyer of Russian crude oil, in June became the first state refiner to pay for some Russian purchases in yuan. At least two of India’s three private refiners are also paying for some Russian imports in yuan. It could not immediately be determined how much Russian oil Indian refiners have bought with yuan, although Indian Oil has paid in yuan for multiple cargoes, sources said. The rise in Yuan payments has given a boost to Beijing’s efforts to internationalise its currency, with Chinese banks promoting its use specifically for Russian oil trade. Since the imposition of sanctions on Moscow, Indian refiners have mostly bought Russian crude from Dubai-based traders and Russian oil companies such as Rosneft, the Litasco unit of Russian oil major Lukoil, and Gazprom Neft. Indian refiners have also settled some non-dollar payments for Russian oil in the United Arab Emirates’ dirham.
India’s stance
India had asked banks and traders to avoid using the yuan to pay for Russian imports because of longrunning political differences with China. It was not immediately clear whether recent purchases represent a change in that view. India’s imports from Russia rose to a record in May, with Russian crude oil accounting for 40% of India’s overall oil imports compared with 16.5% a year earlier, denting purchases from Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Sanctions
While Western sanctions against Moscow are not recognised by India and its purchases of Russian oil may not violate them, Indian banks are wary of clearing payments for such imports. In May, State Bank of India SBI.NS, the country’s top lender and a key banker for state refiners, rejected IOC’s planned payment in dollars for a cargo delivered by Rosneft. In June, IOC used ICICI Bank, a private-sector Indian lender, to settle this trade with Rosneft by paying in yuan to Bank of China. One private refiner has also been using the same mechanism for payments for Russian oil.
Yet the question remains: have the yuan payments affected India-Russia ties?
No, not yet. But it’s a sign of our times, where a beleaguered Russia’s forced to embrace the yuan rather than the Indian rupee when dollar transactions are ruled out for political and other reasons. Consequently, there’s a question mark on New Delhi’s relevance in Moscow’s eyes, at least in the short term, till the whole question of a bilateral rupee payments in international trade is sorted out.
