General Studies 2023 GS Paper III 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Explain

Q16

What is the main task of India's third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the 'Virtual Launch Control Centre' at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre which contributed to the successful launch from Sriharikota. (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत के तीसरे चंद्रमा मिशन का मुख्य कार्य क्या है जिसे इसके पहले के मिशन में हासिल नहीं किया जा सका? जिन देशों ने इस कार्य को हासिल कर लिया है उनकी सूची दीजिए। प्रक्षेपित अंतरिक्ष-यान की उपप्रणालियों को प्रस्तुत कीजिए और विक्रम साराभाई अंतरिक्ष केंद्र के 'आभासी प्रक्षेपण नियंत्रण केंद्र' की उस भूमिका का वर्णन कीजिए जिसने श्रीहरिकोटा से सफल प्रक्षेपण में योगदान दिया है। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: Explain

This question asks you to explain. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'explain' requires clear elucidation of the soft landing objective, comparative listing of achieving nations, spacecraft subsystems, and the Virtual Launch Control Centre's role. Structure as: brief intro stating Chandrayaan-3's primary goal → body addressing soft landing (with Chandrayaan-2 failure context), countries list, LVM3/M4 subsystems breakdown, and VLCC functions → concise conclusion linking to India's space autonomy.

Key points expected

Soft landing on lunar south pole as the unachieved task from Chandrayaan-2 (Vikram lander crash)
Countries achieving soft landing: USSR/Russia, USA, China, India (Chandrayaan-3), plus Japan's SLIM (2024) as recent addition
Spacecraft subsystems: Propulsion Module, Vikram Lander, Pragyan Rover; LVM3 launch vehicle with C25 cryogenic stage
VLCC role: Remote monitoring, real-time telemetry analysis, launch sequence automation, redundancy for main control centre
Specific technologies: Laser Doppler Velocimeter, Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera, ALHAT-derived hazard detection for Chandrayaan-3 improvements

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Clearly identifies soft landing as the specific unachieved task from Chandroyaan-2; addresses all four components (task, countries, subsystems, VLCC) without omission; understands 'explain' requires functional description not mere listing	Mentions soft landing but conflates with orbital insertion; covers 2-3 components; treats subsystems as inventory rather than explaining their interrelation	Misidentifies main task (e.g., rover deployment only); misses VLCC entirely; confuses Chandrayaan-2 and 3 objectives; fails to address 'explain' directive
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Precise: south polar region specificity; accurate country list with timeline awareness; correct subsystem nomenclature (Vikram, Pragyan, Propulsion Module); VLCC's distributed architecture and redundancy function accurately described	Generally correct but vague on landing site specificity; incomplete country list; generic subsystem description; superficial VLCC mention without technical function	Factual errors: wrong countries, incorrect lander names, conflates launch vehicle with spacecraft, describes VLCC as 'virtual reality' rather than distributed control system
Structure & flow	20%	3	Logical progression: mission objective → historical context (Chandrayaan-2) → international comparison → technical architecture → ground systems; smooth transitions; 250-word discipline with proportional allocation	Covers all parts but disjointed; either excessive detail on one aspect (e.g., 100 words on countries) or rushed conclusion; paragraph breaks arbitrary	Random order; no paragraph coherence; severe imbalance (e.g., 150 words on subsystems, 20 on VLCC); exceeds word limit significantly or underwrites
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Specific data: August 23, 2023 landing date; 4m/s touchdown velocity; 26 kg rover mass; comparison with Luna-25 (Russia, 2023) failure; ISRO's cost efficiency ($75M vs Apollo) as implicit benchmark	Mentions 2023 landing year; rough mass estimates; no comparative international context; generic 'low cost' claim without figures	No quantitative data; incorrect dates; confuses Chandrayaan-1/2/3 timelines; no comparative framing with other space agencies
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Links VLCC to broader ISRO strategy: distributed operations, commercial launch preparedness, Atmanirbhar Bharat in critical infrastructure; forward-looking note on Gaganyaan application or future lunar missions	Generic conclusion on 'proud moment for India'; no strategic insight; repeats introduction without synthesis	No conclusion; abrupt end; or irrelevant digression to Mars missions/Aditya-L1; fails to connect technical achievement to policy significance

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