BANGALORE: Chandrayaan-3, India's lunar expedition, took another step closer to the Moon on the current Wednesday, having accomplished all its designated maneuvers towards its lunar trajectory. This brings the much-anticipated mission to a crucial juncture, with the impending separation of the landing module, housing both Vikram (the lander) and Pragyan (the rover), from the propulsion module. This momentous event is scheduled to occur later today.
A successful brief thruster firing conducted today has positioned Chandrayaan-3 in its intended orbit of 153 km by 163 km, marking the culmination of lunar-bound maneuvers. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) shared this progress, stating that the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module are now poised for their separate journeys, as the separation operation looms.
The division of the lander module from the propulsion module is slated for August 17, as outlined in ISRO's announcement. Simultaneously, K Sivan, the former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has voiced his optimism regarding the upcoming soft landing of India's ambitious Chandrayaan-3 mission on the Moon, anticipated to occur on August 23. Reflecting on Chandrayaan-3, Sivan, who spearheaded the space agency during the Chandrayaan-2 mission, conveyed his anticipation for the lander's planned touchdown on the 23rd, framing it as a momentous event.
Sivan recalled the phases Chandrayaan-2 successfully underwent, yet an "issue" surfaced during the landing's second phase, impeding the mission's intended achievement. However, Sivan now exhibits confidence in the triumph of the latest lunar endeavor, Chandrayaan-3. He alluded to the increased sense of anticipation surrounding the landing maneuver due to past setbacks, expressing conviction that the issues faced during Chandrayaan-2 have been rectified. Notably, additional margins and redundancy have been incorporated where required, fostering his belief in the mission's success.
Speaking on the critical task of separating the lander and propulsion modules, Sivan emphasized the gravity of space activities, categorizing them as inherently critical. He expressed the organization's positive outlook on the seamless execution of this maneuver, foreseeing its success without complications.
Following its launch on July 14, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft achieved lunar orbit insertion on August 5. Subsequent orbit reduction maneuvers were meticulously conducted on August 6, 9, and 14. As the mission proceeded, ISRO orchestrated a sequence of maneuvers to gradually adjust Chandrayaan-3's orbit, aligning it with the lunar poles.
Post-separation, the lander is slated to undergo a "deboost" operation to attain an orbit with Perilune (the point closest to the Moon) at 30 kilometers and Apolune (the farthest point) at 100 kilometers. From this orbit, the pivotal soft landing in the south polar region of the Moon is targeted for August 23, as confirmed by ISRO.
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