ISRO launched photos of Earth and Moon taken by cameras onboard the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
With only a week left for Chandrayaan-3’s Moon touchdown, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on August 16 efficiently carried out the fifth and final orbit reduction manoeuvre.
The manoeuvre which commenced at 8.30 a.m. was carried out from ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru.
“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 manoeuvre are completed,” ISRO stated.
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The Chandrayaan-3 consists of a lander module (LM), a propulsion module (PM) and a rover.
After the completion of the 5 orbit reduction manoeuvres ISRO stated that it’s gearing up for the following most vital operations which is scheduled on August 17.
“It’s time for preparations as the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module gear up for their separate journeys. Separation of the Lander Module from the Propulsion Module is planned for August 17, 2023,” the house company stated
The propulsion module will separate from the lander whereas in orbit.
Following that, a collection of complicated braking manoeuvres might be executed to facilitate a tender touchdown within the South Polar area of the Moon on August 23. The lander is anticipated to contact down on the moon floor at 5.47 p.m.
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After the launch on July 14, Chandrayaan-3 accomplished 5 Earth-bound manoeuvres between July 15 and 25. The essential trans-lunar injection (TLI) was carried out on August 1 to slingshot Chandrayaan-3 in the direction of the moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 reached the lunar orbit on August 5 and was efficiently inserted into the lunar orbit. Since then 5 orbit reduction manoeuvres have been carried out to steadily scale back Chandrayaan-3’s orbit and place it over the lunar poles.
