Chandrayaan-3's Boulder Challenge: ISRO Shares Images Of Collision Avoidance Tactics

The Chandrayaan 3 successfully completed its second and final deboosting operation on Sunday morning, setting it up to land on the south pole of the moon on August 23 at around 6:04pm (Indian time).

However, one of the biggest challenges facing Chandrayaan-3 is the risk of crashing into moon rocks. The lunar surface is littered with boulders and other obstacles, and a collision could damage or destroy the lander or rover.

To prevent this from happening, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is using a number of safety features. These include:

On Monday, ISRO released pictures of the Vikram lander determining the landing site. ''Here are the images of Lunar far side area captured by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC). This camera that assists in locating a safe landing area -- without boulders or deep trenches -- during the descent,'' the ISRO wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC): This camera will scan the landing area for boulders and other obstacles. The LHDAC will use a combination of visible and infrared imaging to create a detailed map of the landing area. This map will be used by the lander's navigation system to avoid obstacles.

Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) System: This system will use data from the LHDAC and other sensors to create a detailed map of the landing area. The TRN system will use this map to guide the lander to a safe landing spot.

Parachute and Airbags: The lander will also have a parachute and airbags. The parachute will slow the lander's descent, and the airbags will cushion the lander's impact on the lunar surface.

Software: The lander's software is also designed to prevent it from crashing into obstacles. The software will use the data from the LHDAC and other sensors to identify potential hazards and avoid them.

In addition to these safety features, ISRO is also using a number of other technologies to prevent Chandrayaan-3 from crashing into moon rocks. These technologies include:

• Radar: The lander will use radar to detect obstacles in its path.
• LiDAR: The lander will use LiDAR to create a 3D map of the landing area.
• Inertial navigation system: The lander will use an inertial navigation system to track its position and velocity.

These technologies will work together to ensure that Chandrayaan-3 lands safely on the moon.