ISRO’s Lunar Lander Returns to Earth’s Orbit
India’s space agency, ISRO, has announced that the propulsion module that powered the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lunar lander has transitioned back into Earth’s orbit. This move comes after the Vikram lander successfully touched down on the moon’s surface on August 23, following its separation from the propulsion module.
The propulsion module, which remained in lunar orbit after the lander’s touchdown, was found to have more fuel left over than expected. As a result, ISRO decided to bring the module back towards Earth, marking a significant achievement for the country’s space program.
The propulsion module, resembling a large box with a solar panel and an engine strapped to its bottom, played a crucial role in propelling the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lunar lander during most of its journey to the moon. After reaching lunar orbit, the lander separated from the module and successfully achieved touchdown, making India the fourth country to land a vehicle on the moon’s surface.
Meanwhile, the Vikram lander and its deployed rover, Pragyan, have remained in slumber on the moon after prior attempts to awaken the vehicles failed. However, if they had reawakened, it would have been an added bonus for the mission, which was deemed wholly successful by India’s space agency.
The propulsion module, during its time in lunar orbit, served as a relay point, transmitting data back from the lander to Earth and carrying out a single experiment called SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth). This experiment was designed to observe Earth from lunar orbit, capturing near-infrared light characteristics to determine the planet’s habitability for humans.
With the propulsion module now back in Earth’s orbit, ISRO plans to use the data and information gleaned to map out a future moon landing mission that could return samples of lunar soil back to Earth. In addition, India had previously tested a way to vault the Chandrayaan-3 lander back away from the moon’s surface after landing, with the intention to inform future missions.
The propulsion module’s path back towards Earth was carefully mapped out by ISRO to avoid any potential collisions, ensuring that it remains in a safe orbit approximately 96,000 miles (154,000 kilometers) above Earth. The return of the propulsion module not only marks a significant achievement for India’s space program but also sets the stage for future lunar exploration missions.