Brilliant Minds Behind Chandrayaan-3 Mission & Soft Landing

The landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon is an unprecedented moment that created history by being the first ever lunar mission to successfully land on dark side of the lunar surface.

Undoubtedly a big team of scientists and technicians, who worked diligently on this mission, are outstandingly brilliant & leading brains behind the success of this mission. But there was team of a select visionary space scientists who lead these brilliant brains to create history.

We take this opportunity to introduce you to the brightest & sharpest minds who led the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission.

S Somanath

Chairman, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)

• A well-known Sanskrit scholar, his name Somnath means `Lord of the Moon'.
• He is an Aerospace engineer who designed the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or the ‘Bahuballi’ rocket that lifted Chandrayaan-3 into orbit.
• Head of ISRO, he ensured a thorough testing of Chandrayaan-3 satellite before it was launched and put into orbit.

Unnikrishnan Nair S

Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, Thiruvananthapuram

• An Aerospace Engineer and Head of the key facility on rocketry research.
• An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; he was the first director of the Human Space Flight Center.
• Headed numerous critical space missions, one being the Gaganyaan program.
• Led the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 with 100% success record.

Veeramuthuvel P

Project Director, Chandrayaan-3 mission, UR Rao Satellite Center, Bengaluru

• He holds a Masters of Technology degree from Chennai.
• Dedicated four years of his life towards the lunar mission day in and day out.
• One of the brains behind the Chandrayaan-2 and Mangalyaan missions.

Kalpana K

Deputy Project Director, Chandrayaan-3 mission, UR Rao Satellite Center, Bengaluru

• An engineer worked dedicatedly towards Chandrayaan-3 mission with the team even during the pandemic.
• She is the brilliant brain known to have worked on projects involving Indian Satellites.
• Her efforts are also noteworthy regarding Chandrayaan-2 and Mangalyaan missions.

M Vanitha

Deputy Director, UR Rao Satellite Center, Bengaluru

• An electronics systems engineer, she is the first ever female to lead a lunar mission.
• She is also the Project Director for Chandrayaan-2 mission.
• Applied her brilliant knowledge from Chandrayaan-2 to fabricate an immaculate Chandrayaan-3.

M Sankaran

Director, UR Rao Satellite Center, Bengaluru

• He built the power systems and solar arrays that power up satellites.
• With a Master’s degree in Physics and three decades of expertise in satellites involving missions like Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan-2 satellites he is the satellites power house.  
• He ensured Chandrayaan-3 satellite is adequately hot and cold-tested to face the space oddities.
• He conducted a thorough strength test on the lunar lander replica to ensure the success of the mission.

V Narayanan

Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Center, Thiruvananthapuram

• An alumnus of the IIT, Kharagpur, a liquid propulsion engines and cryogenic engines specialist.
• He ensured that under his leadership Vikram lander would successfully attempt soft landing on the thrusters.
• ISRO rockets including the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 bear his personal stamps.

BN Ramakrishna

Director, ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network, Bengaluru

• Brilliant scientist who is known to have sent commands to Chandryaan-3 satellite setting its course.
• Vikram lander receives commands through India’s largest dish antenna that is a gigantic 32-meter diameter dish situated outside Bengaluru.