New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday informed that Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has covered nearly two-thirds of the distance to the moon.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
The spacecraft has covered about two-thirds of the distance to the moon.

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Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) set for Aug 5, 2023, around 19:00 Hrs. IST. pic.twitter.com/MhIOE65w3V

— ISRO (@isro) August 4, 2023

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Taking the matter to Twitter, ISRO wrote, “The spacecraft has covered about two-thirds of the distance to the moon. Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) set for Aug 5, 2023, around 19:00 Hrs. IST.”

Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission, is set to mark a significant milestone in the country’s space endeavors by making India the fourth nation, following the US, China, and Russia, to achieve a successful spacecraft landing on the moon’s surface.

Launched onboard LVM-3 on July 14, 2023, at 14:35 IST, Chandrayaan-3 is currently undergoing a series of orbit maneuvers with the ultimate objective of reaching the moon’s orbit. The journey to the moon’s orbit is expected to take approximately 33 days from the launch date.

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Upon its successful landing, the spacecraft is designed to operate for one lunar day, equivalent to approximately 14 Earth days. This relatively short timeframe poses a unique challenge for conducting scientific experiments and collecting valuable data during the mission.

Chandrayaan-3 is equipped with a wide array of electronic and mechanical subsystems, specially designed to ensure a safe and soft landing. These include navigation sensors, propulsion systems, guidance and control mechanisms, and other crucial onboard electronics. Additionally, the mission features mechanisms for the release of a rover, two-way communication-related antennas, and various scientific instruments.

The primary objectives of the Chandrayaan-3 mission revolve around achieving a safe and soft landing on the moon’s surface, conducting rover exploration, and performing in-situ scientific experiments. These objectives aim to enhance our understanding of the lunar environment and pave the way for future space exploration missions.

The development phase of Chandrayaan-3 commenced in January 2020, with an initial plan to launch sometime in 2021. However, due to the unforeseen challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the mission experienced delays. The approved cost of Chandrayaan-3 is approximately Rs. 250 crores, excluding the launch vehicle cost.

The success of Chandrayaan-3 holds significant importance for India’s space agency, ISRO, as it serves as a follow-up attempt to the Chandrayaan-2 mission. Chandrayaan-2, though faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019, contributed valuable scientific outcomes, including the first-ever global map for lunar sodium, insights into crater size distribution, and the detection of lunar surface water ice with the IIRS instrument.