The lander module is equipped with instruments to measure the surface temperature and seismic activity around the landing site, a laser retroreflector provided by NASA, and more.

The two European stations will complement support from NASA’s Deep Space Network and ISRO’s own stations to ensure the spacecraft’s operators never lose sight of their pioneering Moon craft.

Meanwhile, the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex, which is part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, earlier tweeted, “The Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, part of said Our sister station @GoldstoneDSN continues with two-way communications for @isro’s #Chandrayaan3 mission to the Moon.

“As part of a worldwide network, @Madrid_DSN is in control at this time. As we say in the Deep Space Network, “Don’t leave Earth without us!”

What is NASA’s Deep Space Network.

NASA’s Deep Space Network is the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications system in the world. The Deep Space Network – or DSN – is NASA’s international array of giant radio antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions, plus a few that orbit Earth.

The DSN also provides radar and radio astronomy observations that improve our understanding of the solar system and the larger universe.

The DSN is operated by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which also operates many of the agency’s interplanetary robotic space missions.

The DSN consists of three facilities spaced equidistant from each other – approximately 120 degrees apart in longitude – around the world. These sites are at Goldstone, near Barstow, California; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia.

The strategic placement of these sites permits constant communication with spacecraft as our planet rotates – before a distant spacecraft sinks below the horizon at one DSN site, another site can pick up the signal and carry on communicating.

The antennas of the Deep Space Network are the indispensable link to explorers venturing beyond Earth. They provide the crucial connection for commanding our spacecraft and receiving their never before seen images and scientific information on Earth, propelling our understanding of the universe, our solar system and ultimately, our place within it.

“So, like many space agencies and commercial companies across the globe, ISRO will receive support from the stations of partner organisations instead. Not only does this significantly reduce costs, but it also fosters international spaceflight collaboration,” the ESA said.

“Thanks to its global ‘Estrack’ network of deep space stations, ESA can help its partners track, command and receive data from spacecraft almost anywhere in the Solar System via its ESOC (European Space Operations Centre) mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany,” it added.

ESA’s 15-metre antenna in Kourou, French Guiana, was used to track Chandrayaan-3 during the days after launch to help ascertain that the spacecraft survived the rigours of lift off and is in good health as it began its journey to the Moon.

Updated: 23 Aug 2023, 08:03 PM IST