On 24 February, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the flight acceptance hot test of the CE-20 cryogenic engine at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. 

The test was carried out for a planned duration of 25 seconds at the High Altitude Test Facility, said the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency. 

Similar to Chandrayaan 2, ISRO is planning a third lunar expedition, Chandrayaan-3. 

In an official statement, the ISRO said, “All the propulsion parameters during the test were found satisfactory and closely matched with predictions.” The cryogenic engine will be further integrated with the propellant tanks, stage structures and associated fluid lines to realise the fully-integrated flight cryogenic stage, ISRO added. 

Chandrayaan-3 interplanetary mission will require the establishment of radio-frequency communication links between its three major modules: the propulsion module, the lander module, and a rover.  

Interestingly, the lunar rover, lander, and propulsion module will be aiming for the same landing site on the Moon’s South Polar Region which was attempted by the Vikram lander in Chandrayaan-2’s mission in 2019.

Expected to be launched between June and July 2023, the Chandrayaan-3 is expected to be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota using an LVM3 rocket. 

Chandrayaan-3, India’s third moon mission, is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-tend capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.