The cryogenic higher stage of the LVM3 M4 launch vehicle, which efficiently injected the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into the meant orbit on July 14 this 12 months, made an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s ambiance on Wednesday, the ISRO mentioned.
“The probable impact point was predicted over the North Pacific Ocean. The final ground track did not pass over India,” the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) mentioned in a press release.
This rocket physique was half of the LVM-3 M4 launch vehicle, it mentioned.
It re-entered the Earth’s ambiance round 14:42 IST.
The re-entry of the rocket physique happened inside 124 days of its launch. The post-mission orbital lifetime of the LVM3 M4 cryogenic higher stage is, thus, totally compliant with the “25-year rule” for low-Earth orbit objects as advisable by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), the ISRO mentioned.
Post Chandrayaan-3 injection, the higher stage had additionally undergone “passivation” to take away all residual propellant and vitality sources to minimise the dangers of unintended explosions as per the area particles mitigation pointers prescribed by the United Nations and IADC, it was acknowledged.
“Passivation and post-mission disposal of this rocket body in adherence to the internationally accepted guidelines once again reaffirms India’s commitment to preserve the long-term sustainability of outer space activities,” the ISRO added.