Chandrayaan 3 testing completed, will be launched in mid-July: ISRO chief

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) S Somanath on Wednesday revealed that Chandrayaan 3 testing is complete and the window of opportunity for the launch is aimed between July 12 and 19.

“Currently the Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft is fully integrated. We have completed the testing and also mated with the rocket compartment… Currently, the window of opportunity for launch is between July 12 and 19 and we will take the earliest possible date, maybe the 12th, maybe the 13th or maybe the 14th. We will announce the exact date after all the tests are completed,” Somanath told ANI here. The ISRO chief also shared his views on Artemis Accords and believes that it is an opportunity for Indian industries that are working in the space sector to work with the US companies.

“We are looking at Artemis Accord as a political engagement with the US. It is a statement of Intent that when the US is proposing collaborative work in the space sector, especially the exploration of outer planets in a very cordial atmosphere between different nations, we agree with that. So it has a big statement. We would like to work with the US, especially on technologies which are high-end and space is one of them. It will open opportunities for Indian industries who are working in the space sector to work with the US companies that are equally working in the space sector,” he mentioned.

“So the advancement of electronics, new processors, the centre takes place in the US and this access to this new technology to the Indian company is so important for them to innovate and bring up value which will give an opportunity to market them in the US market. This is precisely the objective of the US. So we would like to make sure the Indian companies contribute to the US space program. It’s not a great thing now. So, the earlier the US sees it as an opportunity because Indian companies have the technological strength today, they have cost-effectiveness and they have a lower development cycle time which they want to bank on. So it is the purpose that it is jointly developed this whole accord signing is for the benefit of the US as well as the benefit of India,” he added.

Somanath shared an update on Aditya-L1 Mission which is India’s first mission to study the Sun and said ISRO is aiming for August end as the target for its launch. (TS)