Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Enters Lunar Orbit, Moon Landing Delayed
Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has achieved another milestone as the ‘Chandrayaan-3’ spacecraft successfully entered the lunar orbit on August 5. This comes after a five-day journey from Earth, during which the spacecraft’s altitude was gradually reduced four times to bring it closer to the moon.
On July 14, the ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, designed at a cost of Rs 615 crore, using the LVM3 rocket. After orbiting the Earth in a geo-orbital path, the spacecraft was de-gravitated on August 1, marking the beginning of its journey towards the moon.
During the mission, the Vikram Lander separated from its booster while Chandrayaan-3 was at altitude, and the lander entered an orbit around the moon. The probe will continue to orbit the moon for the next few months while preparations are made to land the lander on the lunar surface.
Yesterday, the lander’s orbital altitude was successfully lowered in the second consecutive phase. Currently, the lander is at least 25 km away from the surface of the Moon, with a maximum distance of 134 km.
The landing of the lander on the moon was originally scheduled for tomorrow (23rd) at 5.45 pm. However, ISRO has announced a slight change in the timing, with the landing now expected to occur at 6.04 pm, 19 minutes later than planned.
ISRO scientists are monitoring every second of the lander’s landing on the moon, as the previous Chandrayaan-2 mission failed at this stage. This time, they are confident in the modifications made to the lander, which they believe will ensure a successful landing.
Within two hours of the lander’s touchdown, the rover will descend onto the moon via a ramp to begin its research. The lander is equipped with a camera to detect environmental conditions and potential hazards during landing. Recently, ISRO released a new image of the moon captured by the Chandrayaan-3 lander, showing safe landing spots.
The scientific community and space enthusiasts eagerly await the historic landing of the lander on the moon, marking the culmination of the 40-day mission. ISRO’s relentless pursuit of space exploration continues to put India at the forefront of scientific advancements and achievements.