New Delhi: On August 9, India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan 3 successfully completed an orbit reduction manoeuvre crucial to the mission’s success. Chandrayaan 3’s distance from the Moon’s surface has been reduced by the retrofiring of its engines to 174 km x 1437 km.
The MOX (Mission Operations Complex) at ISTRAC in Bengaluru sent orders to initiate a retro-burning at the Perilune. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is now undergoing a series of burns to raise its orbit around the moon as part of its lengthy and winding route there.
Sharing a graphical image on Twitter (X), ISRO wrote, “Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
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”
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
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
— ISRO (@isro) August 9, 2023
On August 14, Chndrayaan-3 is scheduled to perform its next operation, which will include a lunar orbit reduction manoeuvre. Between 11:30 and 12:30 IST, that procedure will take place.
ISRO also released a picture of the moon captured by the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC) one day after the Lunar Orbit Insertion and another image of the earth captured by the Lander Imager Camera on launch day.
ISRO wrote, “Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
🌎 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”
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
🌎 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 InsertionLI & LHV cameras are developed by SAC & LEOS, respectively https://t.co/tKlKjieQJS… pic.twitter.com/6QISmdsdRS
— ISRO (@isro) August 10, 2023
Recently, ISRO System for Safe & Sustainable Operations Management has shared an assessment describing the ‘Current Space Situation around the Moon.’
While Chandrayaan-3 is orbiting around the moon,
– What is the Current Space Situation around the moon?
– How the objects around the moon are tracked?
– Are there chances of close approaches?
are some of the interesting questions.Here is an assessment by
ISRO System for Safe &…— ISRO (@isro) August 10, 2023
The first photographs of the moon, taken by Chandrayaan-3 as it entered Lunar orbit and was shared by ISRO on August 7. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is now undergoing a series of burns step-by-step, to increase its orbit around the moon as part of its lengthy and winding route there.
On July 14, the entire nation watched as Chandrayaan-3 took off from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota; and India’s third lunar exploration mission started.
