BENGALURU: Chandrayaan 3's third-stage orbital descent has been completed successfully. With this, the probe, which raises India's hopes for lunar exploration, came closer to the moon. Chandrayaan 3 entered an orbit 150 km close to the Moon at 11:50 am today. The maximum distance between the probe and the Moon is currently 177 km.
The probe will lower the orbit once more. With its final descent on August 16, the probe will come within 100 kilometres of the moon. What remains next is propulsion module separation and soft landing.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 9, 2023
Even closer to the moon’s surface.
Chandrayaan-3's orbit is reduced to 174 km x 1437 km following a manuevre performed today.
The next operation is scheduled for August 14, 2023, between 11:30 and 12:30 Hrs. IST pic.twitter.com/Nx7IXApU44
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 14, 2023
Orbit circularisation phase commences
Precise maneuvre performed today has achieved a near-circular orbit of 150 km x 177 km
The next operation is planned for August 16, 2023, around 0830 Hrs. IST pic.twitter.com/LlU6oCcOOb
Chandrayaan 3 was launched by ISRO on July 14. After the launch on July 14, the probe gradually raised the orbit above the Earth and entered lunar orbit by August. The Chandrayaan 3 probe, which entered the lunar orbit, took its first step down at 11 pm on August 6. On August 9, the orbit was successfully lowered and reached an orbit of 174 km x 1437 km from the moon.
On August 17, the lander will separate from the propulsion module and reach its final phase. The eagerly awaited SOFT landing will be on August 23.