Assam's Chayan Dutta to lead launch of Chandrayan-3

Assam's very own Chayan Dutta has been entrusted with the critical responsibility of leading the launch control operations for Chandrayaan-3, India's upcoming lunar mission. Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with enhanced fuel capacity, robust safety measures, and a larger landing site, adopting a "failure-based design" approach to ensure a successful moon landing, even in the face of unforeseen challenges.

Chayan Dutta, an accomplished alumnus of the Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering at Tezpur University, currently serves as a Scientist/Engineer-G at UR Rao Satellite Centre, Department of Space. Additionally, he holds the esteemed position of Deputy Project Director, leading the "On Board Command Telemetry, Data Handling & Storage System, Lander, Chandrayaan-3" project. The Command and Data Handling subsystem, considered the spacecraft's "brains," is responsible for controlling all its functions.

Chandrayaan-3 is poised for lift-off at 2:35 pm on July 14, marking a pivotal moment in India's space exploration endeavors. This mission serves as a follow-up to the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which encountered a crash landing in September 2019 due to a software glitch. Learning from past experiences, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath recently revealed that Chandrayaan-3 takes a different design approach. Rather than focusing solely on success, the mission is designed with a "failure-based design" philosophy, addressing potential failure points and implementing measures to protect the spacecraft and ensure a triumphant lunar landing.