Chandrayaan-3 made history last month when it successfully landed down on the moon, a significant milestone for India's space programs. The significant role Hyderabad-based Mishra Dhatu Nigam (Midhani) played in making this accomplishment possible through the creation of maraging steel makes it all the more remarkable.
According to a TOI report, when developed nations, despite having the required resources, refused to share the material or the technology with India, Midhani, operating under the Department of Defence Production within the Ministry of Defence, took on the challenge of creating this specialized material. The 'Bahubali LVM-3 rocket,' which carried the lander and mission payloads for Chandrayaan-3, was built of maraging steel, an alloy recognized for its exceptional strength and toughness.
S K Jha, Midhani's chairman and managing director, explained to TOI the importance of making maraging steel domestically. He pointed out that it was essential for both ensuring the highest standards of quality and India's independence in space technology. Jha continued, "Every detail was worked out with precision to ensure the rocket's strength," pointing out the meticulous procedure that the maraging steel underwent, encompassing 50 separate quality checks, from the raw material purchase to its final application.
According to technical terminology, maraging steel is a type of carbon-free iron-nickel alloy that has been strengthened with cobalt, molybdenum, titanium, and aluminum. In addition to being crucial to the development of Chandrayaan-3, Midhani's steel was also used to build other rockets, such as the Chandrayaan LVM3.
Looking ahead, Midhani and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) may work together even more as they investigate the possibilities of switching from conventional metals to composites in their rocket launches. This ground-breaking change is now being planned, and ISRO plans to work with other organizations, including Midhani, to further the objective. Jha said, "It is an idea that is taking shape," indicating a bright future for this collaboration on India's space exploration mission.
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