On Sunday, ISRO marked a significant milestone in the Chandrayaan-3 mission. They accomplished a successful maneuver to bring the Lander Module (LM) closer to the moon by adjusting its orbit.

Additionally, the national space agency disclosed that the LM would undergo internal inspections as part of its preparations for the upcoming lunar landing.

The LM, comprising the lander named ‘Vikram’ and the rover ‘Pragyan,’ is scheduled to touch down on the lunar surface on the evening of August 23.

ISRO posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, stating, “The second and final deboosting operation was a triumph, resulting in the LM’s orbit now measuring 25 km x 134 km. The module will undergo internal assessments and await sunrise at the designated landing site. The powered descent is set to commence on August 23, 2023, at around 1745 Hrs IST.”

Earlier, the Chandrayaan-3 LM separated from the Propulsion Module on Thursday, 35 days after its launch on July 14.

ISRO sources had previously explained that following the separation, the lander was expected to undergo “deboost” operations, aimed at adjusting its orbit to achieve a Perilune (the point closest to the Moon) of 30 kilometers and an Apolune (the farthest point from the Moon) of 100 kilometers. These precise orbital adjustments are critical for the planned soft landing on the Moon’s south polar region.

At an altitude of approximately 30 kilometers, the lander initiates the powered braking phase, utilizing its thrusters to gradually descend towards the moon’s surface. When at an altitude of roughly 100 meters, the lander conducts surface scans to identify potential obstacles before proceeding with a controlled descent for a gentle landing.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14 and entered lunar orbit on August 5. Subsequent orbit reduction maneuvers were carried out on August 6, 9, 14, and 16. On August 17, the two modules of the spacecraft separated in preparation for the scheduled landing on August 23.

In the three weeks following its July 14 launch, ISRO executed a series of maneuvers to propel the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft farther away from Earth. A crucial maneuver on August 1, known as a slingshot maneuver, successfully redirected the spacecraft from Earth’s orbit toward the moon. Following this trans-lunar injection, Chandrayaan-3 departed from Earth’s orbit and embarked on its journey toward the vicinity of the moon.

Chandrayaan-3 is a continuation of the Chandrayaan-2 mission and serves as a demonstration of the complete capability for a safe landing and rover operations on the lunar surface.

The primary objectives of Chandrayaan-3 include demonstrating a secure and soft landing on the lunar surface, showcasing rover mobility on the Moon, and conducting on-site scientific experiments.

The lander has the capability to execute a gentle landing at a designated lunar site and deploy the rover, which will conduct in-situ chemical analyses of the Moon’s surface during its mobility. Both the lander and the rover carry scientific instruments to conduct experiments on the lunar surface.

Latest Post

• 
  Russia’s Lunar 25 Mission Ends in Heartbreaking Crash on Moon’s Surface – What Went Wrong?
• 
  Chandrayaan-3 Journey to the Moon: A Closer Look at the Lunar Landing Mission