22 AUG, 2023
Sweta Gupta
Photo: ISRO
This is India's latest lunar exploration mission by ISRO, a part of the Chandrayaan programme. It involves a lander called Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, similar to Chandrayaan-2. The mission's propulsion module will function as an orbiter.
The LVM3 M4 vehicle effectively propelled Chandrayaan-3 into orbit on July 14. Once in its precise orbit, Chandrayaan-3 initiated its voyage towards the Moon. The spacecraft's condition was reported as normal.
Photo: ISRO
The initial orbit-raising maneuver (Earthbound firing-1) was carried out successfully at ISTRAC/ISRO, Bengaluru on July 15. As a result, the spacecraft achieved an orbit of 41762 km x 173 km.
Photo: ISRO
Marking the occasion of International Moon Day on July 25, the successful execution of the fourth orbit-raising maneuver (Earth-bound perigee firing) was carried out from ISTRAC/ISRO, Bengaluru.
Photo: ISRO
After four orbit raising, Chandrayaan-3 successfully inserted into the lunar orbit on August 5. The orbit achieved is 164 km x 18074 km, as intended.
Video: ISRO
After Moon bound maneuver, the Lander Module (LM) successfully separated from the Propulsion Module (PM) on August 17.
Video: ISRO
The second and final deboosting operation was executed on August 20 with success, effectively lowering the lunar module's orbit to 25 km x 134 km. Afterwards, the module underwent checks and awaited sunrise at the landing site.
Photo: ISRO
Chandrayaan-3 is expected to land on the south pole of the Moon on August 23, around 18:04 hrs IST. In case the conditions are unfavourable, the Moon landing could be delayed until August 27.
Photo: ISRO