Guiding Lights to the Lunar Frontier: ISRO Champions of the Chandrayaan 3 Mission

On August 24th, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) uncovered a new success in its Chandrayaan chronicles by landing Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s South Pole. Stating the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission as an ‘extraordinary moment’ in the history of India’s space program, the honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, has made various announcements. The key highlights of his speech in the mentioned regard are as follows:

– The day Chandrayaan-3 made a soft landing on the moon will be known as ‘National Space Day.’

– The place where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the moon’s surface and left its imprints will be known as ‘Tiranga Point.’

– The place where Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander descended will be ‘Shiv Shakti Point.’

 

ISRO’s Dream Leader Team behind the Chandrayaan 3 Mission

This mission by ISRO has raised the bar with the efforts of its dedicated scientists, who have worked day and night to accomplish the feat. The Chandrayaan-3 expedition included numerous research minds behind it. The critical team included over 54 female engineers and scientists responsible for various crucial tasks. Dr. K. Sivan, fondly known as the “Rocket Man,” was pivotal in conceptualizing and executing the Chandrayaan-3 mission. To acknowledge the efforts, sacrifices, and love for the nation, let us explore the details about most of them:

 

1. Somanath – ISRO Chairperson

• Full name: Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
• Birth: July, 1963.
• Profession: Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation
• Education: Schooling from St. Augustine’s High School, Aroor.

– Pursued his pre-university program at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.

– Graduated in mechanical engineering from Thangal Kunju Musaliar College of Engineering.

– Master’s in aerospace engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

• Career:

– Associate Director with Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle Project & Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.

– Project Director of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III

– Deputy Director of Propulsion & Space Ordinance Entity

– Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre

– Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

– Chairman of ISRO.

 

2. Mohana Kumar – Mission Director Chandrayaan 3

• Profession – Senior Scientist at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
• Education: Bachelor of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering from IIT, Madras.

– Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.

– Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

• Mohana Kumar was appointed as the Project Director of Chandrayaan-3 in 2019. He was in charge of every aspect of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, from planning to execution, while ensuring its success and safety.

 

3. Narayanan – Associate Mission Director Chandrayaan 3

• Profession – Chairman & Managing Director of ISRO’S New Space India Limited (NSIL)
• Education – B.tech & M.tech from the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram.
• Career – Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Vikram A. Sarabhai Trust of the Department of Space

– Deputy Director (Systems Reliability & Quality Assurance) at Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC)

– First Secretary (Space) at the Indian Embassy in Paris.

– ISRO Technical Liaison Officer, Europe

– Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India)

– Leading ISRO facility at Valiyamala, Thiruvananthapuram.

 

4. P Veeramuthuvel – Project Director of Chandrayaan 3

• Birth: October 22nd 1976
• Profession: Indian Aerospace Engineer at ISRO
• Education: Schooling from Railway school in Villupuram

– Diploma in Mechanical Engineering

– Bachelor of Engineering Studies from Sri Sai Ram Engineering College, Chennai

– Masters from NIT Trichy in Engineering Studies and PG from IIT Madras.

• Career

– Senior Engineer at Lakshmi Engineering Works, Coimbatore.

– Part of multiple projects, including the Mars orbiter mission.

– Part of the rotatory wing research and design centre of the helicopter division of Hindustan

Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore.

– Deputy Director of the ISRO’s main office’s Space Infrastructure Programme.

– Project Director of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

 

5. Unnikrishnan Nair – Mission Director

• Birth year: 1964
• Profession: Scientist at ISRO.
• Education: B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Mar Athanasius College of Engineering

– ME in Aerospace Engineering from IISc.

– Ph.D. In Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras.

• Career

– Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)

– Director of Human Space Flight Centre

– Additional charge of Director of Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology.

 

6. Ritu Karidhal Srivastava – Head & Senior Scientist

• Birthplace: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
• Deputy Operations Director to India’s Mars Orbital mission, Mangalyaan.
• Referred as one of the many “Rocket Women” of India.
• Education: Schooling from St. Anjani’s Public School in Lucknow.

– BSc. & MSc. in Physics from University of Lucknow.

– Ph.D. from University of Lucknow.

– Masters of Aerospace Engineering from IISc, Bangalore.

• Career

– Joined ISRO in 1997

– Deputy Operations Director

– Supervised Chandrayaan-2 as a Mission Director

 

7. Rajarajan, Chairman Launch Authorisation Board

• Full name – Rajarajan Arumugham
• Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
• Career: Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR Director, Sriharikota, Principle of Space Port of India.

– Deputy Director at Propulsion and Space Ordinance Entity (PRSO)

– Deputy Director at Aero Space Ordnance Entity (ASOE)

– Deputy Director at Composites Entity (CMSE)

– Deputy Director at Structures Entity (STR)

 

8. Shri M Sankaran – Director, U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC)

• Birth: 1971
• Profession: Deputy Director for Communication and Power Systems area in URSC
• Education: Master’s degree in Physics from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.
• Career:

– Deputy Director for Communication and Power Systems Area in URSC

-Director of URSC

• Among his works in recent years, he is leading the efforts towards the miniaturization of avionics systems, indigenization of Electronics & power system components, micro/mini satellite bus development, etc.
• He also spearheads the avionics system design, realization and qualification for the Gaganyaan Programme.

 

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a resounding achievement for India’s space exploration endeavours and it owes its success to the visionary leaders and pioneering minds who dared to dream big. Dr. K. Sivan’s strategic guidance, Dr. Jitendra Singh’s unwavering support, Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai’s meticulous planning, Dr. Vanitha M.’s leadership, and the entire team of scientists and engineers have come together to script an inspiring tale of human potential. As we look to the future, their efforts remind us that with strong leadership and collaboration, humanity’s reach knows no bounds.

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