India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has taken a notable stride toward its lunar mission, as the Vikram Lander successfully executed a crucial manoeuvre ahead of its anticipated Moon landing; this achievement brings the nation closer to becoming the fourth in history to land on the Moon’s surface.
Chandrayaan-3: Key Manoeuvre Marks Milestone
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) reported the successful completion of a vital ‘deboosting’ operation, which involved slowing down the Vikram Lander to transition into a slightly lower orbit around the Moon. The lander’s health remained normal during this operation, signaling positive progress towards its intended landing site.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on 14th July via the LVM3 rocket, has consistently progressed since it entered into lunar orbit on August 5. Building upon lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2, ISRO has worked to rectify past errors and ensure the success of the current mission.
Preparations for Historic Landing
The upcoming steps in Chandrayaan-3’s journey involve another deboosting operation scheduled for August 20, 2023. Following this, the lander will be positioned in an orbit with its closest point to the Moon at 30 km and the farthest at 100 km. From this orbit, the Vikram Lander is set to attempt a soft landing in the unexplored south polar region of the Moon on August 23; this ambitious mission promises to unveil new insights about the Moon’s surface.
Once successfully stationed on the lunar surface, the Vikram Lander will interact with the Pragyaan rover, a companion tasked with analyzing the chemical composition of the Moon’s terrain and investigating the presence of water. The Pragyaan rover is equipped to study the surface for the duration of one lunar day, equivalent to approximately 14 Earth days.
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