New Delhi. The success of Chandrayaan-3 got India a lot of applause in the world. India became the fourth country after America, Russia and China to land safely on the lunar surface. After the success of the mission, now important information is coming to light regarding it. According to the news of Times of India, nuclear energy was used in the propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3. With its help he is still circling the moon.
With the help of nuclear energy, the propulsion module of Chandrayaan-3 will continue to revolve around the Moon for the next several years. Chandrayaan landed on the moon on 23 August. About a week before this, on August 17, the propulsion module separated from Chandrayaan. Initially its life was said to be 3 to 6 months. Now it is being said that with the help of nuclear energy it will continue to work for the next two to three years. ISRO will continue to receive important information about the Moon on Earth. When India’s Moon mission was launched, this module contained 1,696 kg of fuel, with the help of which Chandrayaan first orbited the Earth five times. Then made six rounds of the moon.
What did the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission say?
Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty said while talking to the newspaper, ‘I am happy that India’s nuclear sector can be a part of such an important space mission. ISRO officials said the propulsion module is equipped with two radioisotope heating units (RHU), a one-watt device designed and developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BHRC). The job of RHU is to maintain this spacecraft at its correct temperature.
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Why was nuclear energy not used in Lander Rover?
Chandrayaan-3 project director P Veeramuthuvel told the newspaper that ISRO may soon use nuclear resources to maintain equipment in the future rover. RHU could not be installed on Vikram Lander and Pragyan of Chandrayaan-3 because it would increase their weight. It was used as an experiment in propulsion model. The officer said, ‘At present it is working without any fault in the propulsion module. This is the first major joint project of ISRO and BARC.”
Use of nuclear energy in these missions of NASA
Even though India has used nuclear energy for the first time in its space mission, NASA is already doing so. Spacecraft that have used radioisotope heater units include NASA’s Galileo spacecraft to Jupiter, Cassini and Voyager 1 and 3 to Saturn.
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Tags: Chandrayaan-3, Mission Moon, Space news
FIRST PUBLISHED : October 31, 2023, 10:33 pm IST
