India: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday informed that the Chandrayaan-3 mission reached another significant milestone as its spacecraft successfully underwent its fifth and final Moon-bound orbit maneuver.
However, this maneuver has brought the spacecraft even closer to the lunar surface, marking a critical step in the mission’s progression. Chandrayaan-3 is now just 163 km away from the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Today’s successful firing, needed for a short duration, has put Chandrayaan-3 into an orbit of 153 km x 163 km, as intended.
With this, the lunar bound maneuvres are completed.
It’s time for preparations as the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module… pic.twitter.com/0Iwi8GrgVR
— ISRO (@isro) August 16, 2023
Chandrayaan-3 Next Phase
With the completion of these lunar-bound maneuvers, Chandrayaan-3 is now set to enter the next phase of its journey. The ISRO announced that the spacecraft will begin preparations for the separation of its propulsion module and the lander module. This significant step is scheduled to take place on August 17.
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During the latest maneuver, the spacecraft’s engines fired for a short duration, resulting in Chandrayaan-3 being placed into an intended orbit of 153 km x 163 km. This successful maneuver confirms the completion of the lunar-bound maneuvers, and the propulsion module and lander module are now gearing up for their respective independent journeys.
About Chandrayaan-3
As part of the ongoing mission progression, Chandrayaan-3, which was launched on July 14, had entered the lunar orbit on August 5. In the subsequent days, three consecutive orbit reduction maneuvers were conducted on August 6, 9, and 14 to gradually position the spacecraft closer to the Moon. These precisely calculated maneuvers play a crucial role in aligning Chandrayaan-3’s trajectory for its upcoming soft landing attempt.
Chandrayaan-3 Landing
ISRO is meticulously conducting a series of maneuvers to gradually reduce the spacecraft’s orbit and position it over the lunar poles, where the soft landing is planned. The culmination of this phase is expected to occur on August 23, when Chandrayaan-3 is scheduled to make its soft landing attempt on the Moon’s south polar region.
