Chandrayaan-3 Moon landing: L&T, HAL, BHEL among key suppliers behind mission

Hindustan Aeronautics-L&T: The consortium provided several components to National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), which provided key support for the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited: BHEL has achieved the unique milestone of supplying its 100th battery to ISRO for the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

MTAR Technologies: The company has played a crucial role by supplying Vikas Engines, Cryogenic Engine subsystems including Turbo Pump, Booster Pump, Gas Generator and Injector Head and Electro-Pneumatic Modules for Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM 3).

Mishra Dhatu Nigam: It has played a role in developing and supplying critical materials such as cobalt base alloys, nickel base alloys, titanium alloys, and special steels for various components of the LVM3/M4, a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle used in the lunar mission. This company will also be a key contributor to ISRO's ambitious Gaganyaan mission and other pioneering programs in future.

Paras Defence and Space Technologies: The Department of Space (DoS) and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) back in 2020 to assist NSIL in identifying those technologies developed by ISRO that have the potential for commercialisation and can be transferred to external entities in the public and private sectors.

Ananth Technologies: The unlisted company has contributed its systems to over 88 satellites and more than 68 launch vehicles for the Indian space program. Notably, it has played a role in prominent missions such as Chandrayaan-I and II, Mangalyaan, and the latest Chandrayaan-III apart from the upcoming first human space mission of India, Gaganyaan.

Centum Electronics: The company has made roughly 300 to 500 components for Indian space missions.

Walchandnagar Industries: The company has been involved in manufacturing components for all 48 launches till now, right from the first launch of PSLV-D1 in 1993, according to reports.

Godrej Aerospace: The Mumbai-based company has provided critical core components for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The rocket engines and thrusters that are integral to the Chandrayaan-3 mission were developed by the company.

According to ISRO, Chandrayaan 3’s lander, with a rover accommodated inside it, is expected to touch down on the surface of the Moon around 6.04 pm IST on August 23, today. With this, India will be the fourth country to do so, and the first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth’s only natural satellite.

”The mission is on schedule. Systems are undergoing regular checks. Smooth sailing is continuing. The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) is buzzed with energy & excitement!” ISRO said on Tuesday, also sharing visuals of the moon captured by cameras on the lander.

If the Chandrayaan-3 mission succeeds in making a touchdown on the Moon and in landing a robotic lunar rover in ISRO’s second attempt in four years, India will become the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the lunar surface after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.