S Mohana Kumar is a senior scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the mission director of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission. He is responsible for overseeing the launch and landing operations of the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover on the Moon’s south pole.
Mohana Kumar has been with ISRO for over 30 years and has worked on various projects related to rocket technology and space applications. He is the head of the Fabrication of Composites at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, which is the centre for building rocket capabilities for ISRO. He has also served as the director for the successful commercial launch of the One Web India 2 satellites on board the LVM3-M3 mission in 2022.
Mohana Kumar is one of the key scientists behind Chandrayaan-3, along with ISRO’s current chairman S Somanath, who is the chief architect of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) rocket that launched Chandrayaan-3, and P Veeramuthuvel, who is the project director of Chandrayaan-3 and in charge of designing and developing the lander and rover modules .
Mohana Kumar has expressed his confidence and excitement about Chandrayaan-3, which is expected to land on the Moon today. He said that the mission is a challenging and complex one, but also a rewarding and inspiring one. He said that he is proud to be part of ISRO’s history-making endeavour and hopes to achieve a successful soft landing and scientific exploration of the lunar surface.
S Mohana Kumar is a scientist who has dedicated his life to advancing India’s space programme and contributing to its scientific and technological achievements. He is a leader who has guided his team with vision and passion. He is a mission director who has made India’s quest for the Moon possible.
