After Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft moved closer to the Moon’s surface as it underwent another orbit reduction maneuver, the ISRO on Thursday released a fresh set of pictures. India’s ambitious third Moon mission’s spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 after its launch on July 14, entered into lunar orbit or the Moon’s orbit on August 5.
In the latest set of images, the ISRO shared pictures of Earth and Moon captured by Chandrayaan 3.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 10, 2023
? viewed by
Lander Imager (LI) Camera
on the day of the launch
&
? imaged by
Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC)
a day after the Lunar Orbit Insertion
LI & LHV cameras are developed by SAC & LEOS, respectively https://t.co/tKlKjieQJS… pic.twitter.com/6QISmdsdRS
On Wednesday, ISRO tweeted, “Even closer to the moon’s surface. Chandrayaan-3’s orbit is reduced to 174 km x 1437 km following a maneuver performed today.” The next operation is scheduled for August 14, between 11.30 am and 12.30 pm, ISRO said.
Before it lands on the moon, Chandrayaan-3 will perform multiple de-orbiting manoeuvres to bring it closer to the lunar surface so that lander Vikram can land there.
According to Isro chief S Somanath, a lander propulsion module separation exercise will be taken up after that, soon after lander “deboost”, a process that slows down the craft. It will be followed by landing on lunar surface on August 23, he explained.
“If everything fails, if all the sensors fail, nothing works, still it (Vikram) will make a landing. That’s how it has been designed – provided that the propulsion system works well,” Mr Somanath told news agency PTI.
Chandrayaan-3 will make India the fourth country after the US, China, and Russia to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon, demonstrating the country’s ability for a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface.
By VIBHUTI KATARE
