ISRO successfully completes final lunar-bound operation on Chandrayaan-3
What's the story
Chandrayaan-3 is getting closer to the lunar landing. Today, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully performed the fifth and final lunar-bound operation on the spacecraft.
The mission is now in the intended 153x163km orbit.
The next operation is scheduled for tomorrow, which involves the crucial separation of the landing module from the propulsion module.
Twitter Post
All five lunar-bound operations on Chandrayaan-3 have been completed
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 16, 2023
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
Upcoming maneuvers
The upcoming module separation operation will be a crucial one
Tomorrow's operation will be a crucial one for Chandrayaan-3. Following the module separation, ISRO will bring the lander module, which comprises Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, into an elliptical orbit.
Subsequent de-boost maneuvers will position the lander module in an orbit where the Perilune (closest point to the Moon) is 30km and Apolune (farthest point from the Moon) is 100km.
Milestone
Lunar landing is planned for August 23
Chandrayaan-3 is now just a week away from landing on the Moon. The landing is expected to happen on August 23, which will mark an end to the mission's roughly 40-day journey.
If the mission manages to achieve the targeted soft landing on the Moon, it will be a significant feat. India will become the fourth nation to have achieved that milestone.