The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday successfully launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

“Chandrayaan-3 has started its journey towards the moon. Our dear LVM3 has already put Chandrayaan-3 craft into the precise orbit around the earth…Let us wish all the best for the Chandrayaan-3 craft to make its farther orbit raising manoeuvres and travel towards the moon in the coming days,” ISRO chief S Somanath said after the launch.

Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous propulsion module, lander module, and a rover with an objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for inter-planetary missions. It weighs around 3,900 kg.

The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover from injection orbit to till 100 km lunar orbit. It also carries a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit. The main function of the Propulsion Module is to carry the LM from the launch vehicle injection orbit to till Lander separation.