Why in News?
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has received the Aviation Week Laureates Award for its noteworthy accomplishments with the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
- The award was accepted on behalf of ISRO by Sripriya Ranganathan, Deputy Ambassador at the Indian Embassy in the US.
About Aviation Week Laureates Award
- In the aviation and aerospace industry the Aviation Week Network’s Laureate Awards are a prestigious recognition of the extraordinary achievements of individuals and teams.
- These groundbreaking accomplishments embody the spirit of exploration, innovation, and vision that inspire others to strive for progress, change, and leadership.
- The awards ceremony is a must-attend event, attracting an audience of 400+ of the industry’s most elite professionals and influencers.
- The recent celebration of ISRO’s groundbreaking mission, Chandrayaan-3, highlights the Laureate’s reputation for recognizing exceptional accomplishments within the aerospace industry.
- The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 at the lunar South Pole placed India among the leading countries in space exploration, with the discovery of water presence opening new avenues for research and potential habitation strategies for future missions.
- Aviation Week’s recognition demonstrates the international appreciation and respect for ISRO’s significant contributions to space exploration. Previously, ISRO received the Leif Erikson Lunar Prize from the Husavik Museum for its unwavering commitment to lunar exploration.
Chandrayaan -3 mission
- On July 14, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched Chandrayaan-3 from Sriharikota using a GSLV-Mark III (LVM-3) heavy-lift rocket. The spacecraft includes a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, with no orbiter this time around.
- The mission has an estimated budget of Rs 615 crore. Vikram stands at 2 meters tall and weighs just over 1,700 kg, carrying a 26-kg lunar rover named Pragyan. Among its tasks, Pragyan will conduct a spectrometer analysis of the mineral composition of the lunar surface.
- The lander is scheduled to touch down on the moon and deploy the rover on August 23, 2023.
- The mission objectives include demonstrating a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, rover roving on the moon, and conducting in-situ scientific experiments. Both Vikram and Pragyan are designed to operate for one lunar day, which lasts 14 Earth days.
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