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The Indian Space Research Organisation announced on Thursday that the Chandrayaan-3 mission is scheduled to be launched at 2.35 pm on July 14, with the lander expected to soft-land on the surface of the Moon on August 23 or 24. 

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which will be launched by LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-III) (earlier referred as GSLV Mk III), is a composite of three modules — propulsion, lander, and rover (which is housed inside the lander).

“LVM3-M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission:The launch is now scheduled for July 14, 2023, at 2:35 pm IST from SDSC, Sriharikota”, the national space agency headquartered here said in a tweet.

Secretary of the Department of Space and ISRO Chairman Somanath S told reporters that the space agency would attempt soft-landing of the lander on August 23 or August 24.

ISRO officials noted that the mission life of the lander is one lunar day, which is equal to 14 Earth days.

“The date (for soft-landing) is decided based on when there is sunrise on the Moon. While landing, sunlight must be there. There is sunlight on the Moon for 14-15 days and for the next 14-15 days there is no sunlight,” they noted.

Chandrayaan-3 mission carries scientific instruments to study the thermo-physical properties of the lunar regolith, lunar seismicity, lunar surface plasma environment and elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.

While the scope of these scientific instruments on the lander and the rover would fit in the theme of “Science of the Moon”, another experimental instrument will study the spectro-polarimetric signatures of the Earth from the lunar orbit, which would fit in the theme of “Science from the Moon”, according to ISRO officials.’.

In March this year, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully completed the essential tests that validated its capability to withstand the harsh vibration and acoustic environment that the spacecraft would encounter during its launch.

The propulsion module, which has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit, will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km of lunar orbit.

Lander payloads are: ‘Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment’ to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature; ‘Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity’ for measuring the seismicity around the landing site; and ‘Langmuir Probe’ to estimate the plasma density and its variations.

A passive Laser Retroreflector Array from the US space agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is also accommodated for lunar laser ranging studies.

Rover payloads are: ‘Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer’ and ‘Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy’ for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.

The lander will have the capability to soft-land at a specified lunar site and deploy the rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.

The main function of the propulsion module is to carry the lander module from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate it. Apart from this, the propulsion module also has one scientific payload as a value addition which will be operated post separation of the lander module, it was noted.

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China Launches PRSS-01 to Elevate Pakistan’s Space and Disaster Response

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August 3, 2025

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China Launches PRSS-01 to Elevate Pakistan’s Space and Disaster Response

In a major fillip to Pakistan’s space and disaster management applications, China Thursday launched the first ever Remote Sensing Satellite-1 (PRSS-01) exclusively for Pakistan. The satellite was carried into orbit on a Kuaizhou-1A rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan province. PRSS-01 was injected into the intended orbit after liftoff, and all systems were declared functioning properly. The satellite will be used to support agriculture and land surveys, urban planning, emergency disaster response, as well as environmental monitoring scans for the country, and marks a new beginning in Pakistan’s ambitions of a space program. It also highlights persistent cooperation between China and Pakistan in technology associated with space science, as well as earth observation.

Earth Observation and Disaster Management

According to the official website, PRSS-01 is equipped with high-resolution imaging systems capable of providing detailed data across a wide range of civilian and governmental uses. Its uses consist of national land survey, urban planning, and real-time environmental monitoring. Crucially, it increases Pakistan’s ability to respond rapidly and efficiently when natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes occur. It is anticipated that the technology will be valuable in long-term infrastructure planning and will promote smarter, sustainable development across the country.

Strengthening Bilateral Space Cooperation

The PRSS-01 launch indicates that the strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan is deepening, in aerospace technology as well. Engineers from the two countries worked closely together throughout the development and launch processes, including substantial technological support from China. The mission will continue the spirit of collaboration evident in satellite communications and scientific payloads between China, Pakistan, and Algeria, strengthening confidence among partners.

The successful launch of PRSS-01 is not only a great leap for Pakistan in promoting national development, but also an important step towards China’s deepening cooperation with countries along the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) and its aerospace industry transforming from being big to strong. With the launch of PRSS-01, industry expects a new era in improved satellite services for Pakistan.

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Mysterious Planet Nine May Still Lurk in the Outer Solar System



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Mysterious Planet Nine May Still Lurk in the Outer Solar System

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August 3, 2025

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Mysterious Planet Nine May Still Lurk in the Outer Solar System

The concept of a large, hidden planet or planets lurking in the most distant regions of our solar system has been known since before Pluto’s discovery on 1930s. Originally named “Planet X,” it had been proposed to account for irregularities in Uranus’s orbit. That mystery was eventually resolved by recalculating Neptune’s mass. But in 2016, Caltech astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown resurrected the puzzle with a new idea — Planet Nine — which was based on the bizarre orbits of distant Kuiper Belt objects. The explanation is that a huge planet far away is gravitationally pulling on these objects.

The Case for Planet Nine

According to Batygin and Brown’s observation, many of the Kuiper Belt objects don’t travel on orbits as expected. This suggests that, like the Moon (whose outward spiral from Earth is due to earth’s gravity), these distant objects are somehow being perturbed by something other than our Sun. The hypothesised Planet Nine is believed to be several times the size of Earth and orbiting out beyond Neptune. Supporting evidence are the discovery of recently detected trans-Neptunian-object with elliptical-orbits (such as 2017 OF201 ) which could have been sculpted by a massive planet.
In 2024, Brown reaffirmed confidence in the theory, stating, “There are currently no other explanations for the effects that we see.” More trans-Neptunian discoveries keep pointing toward an unknown gravitational force.

Challenges and New Clues

However, the theory faces hurdles. Other astronomers contend that there is not enough data on the Kuiper Belt to warrant a Planet Nine. Others suggest alternative explanations, such as a debris ring or even something more exotic like a small black hole. One is reduced observing time; tens of thousands of years are required for these objects so far from our planet to orbit.

Recent finds, such as the sednoid 2023 KQ14 — so elongated that it looks stable in an empty solar system — complicate the scenario even more. If Planet Nine is out there, it could be at least 500 AU away from the Sun. In the meantime, astronomers are continuing to search those huge, remote edges of our solar system using ground- and space-based telescopes.

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SpaceX, NASA Delay Crew-11 Launch Due to Thick Clouds over Kennedy Space Center



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SpaceX, NASA Delay Crew-11 Launch Due to Thick Clouds over Kennedy Space Center

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August 3, 2025

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SpaceX, NASA Delay Crew-11 Launch Due to Thick Clouds over Kennedy Space Center

Just over a minute before liftoff on July 31, SpaceX called off the launch of NASA’s Crew-11 mission due to unsafe weather at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The scrub came after a dense bank of cumulus clouds drifted within a 10-mile radius of the launch pad, violating flight safety criteria. The Crew-11 mission is set to carry four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule, marking the spacecraft’s sixth flight — a reuse record under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Weather Forces Delay, But Crew-11 Eyes August 1 Launch Amid Cautious Optimism from NASA

According to NASA’s live broadcast, launch commentator Derrol Nail stated the dark cumulus clouds posed a potential hazard, as rockets should not pass through tall cloud formations. “That could generate some energy from the rocket passing through it,” Nail noted. The area around Launch Complex 39A was still being “watched” for cloud development, with live views showing clouds creeping ever closer.

The next available opportunity to launch is Friday, August 1, at 11:43 a.m. EDT (1543 GMT), with a backup time of Saturday, August 2, at 11:21 a.m. EDT (1521 GMT). NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov make up Crew-11.

Once launched, it will take the mission roughly 40 hours to reach the ISS and begin orbiting Earth’s atmosphere at about 248 miles above its surface while going over 17,500 mph. The Endeavour capsule’s sixth flight is another step in NASA and SpaceX’s collaboration to transport astronauts on privately owned spacecraft.

Crew-11 will be the 11th mission of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. It’s late, officials have mentioned, but safety is still the top thing. Disappointing though that may be, it’s a way to help ensure the crew and spacecraft will make it there in one piece, at precisely the right moment.

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