New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) received the first images of the Moon from India’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3. Sunday on X, the ISRO posted that video showing the first glimpse of the Moon by the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft as it reached lunar orbit on Saturday.
“The Moon, as viewed by #Chandrayaan3 spacecraft during Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) on August 5, 2023.” ISRO tweeted.
The Moon, as viewed by #Chandrayaan3 spacecraft during Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) on August 5, 2023.#ISRO pic.twitter.com/xQtVyLTu0c
— LVM3-M4/CHANDRAYAAN-3 MISSION (@chandrayaan_3) August 6, 2023
Saturday marked the successful entry into lunar orbit of India’s third Lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, 22 days after its launch on a far more challenging 41-day mission to the lunar south pole, where no other country has yet been. A crucial step in the ISRO’s ambitious 600 crore mission was achieved with the insertion into lunar orbit.
After entering lunar orbit on Saturday, Chandrayaan-3 delivered a communication to ISRO reading, “I feel the lunar gravity.”
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
“MOX, ISTRAC, this is Chandrayaan-3. I am feeling lunar gravity 🌖”
🙂Chandrayaan-3 has been successfully inserted into the lunar orbit.
A retro-burning at the Perilune was commanded from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC, Bengaluru.
The next… pic.twitter.com/6T5acwiEGb
— ISRO (@isro) August 5, 2023
Since its launch on July 14, Chandrayaan-3 has travelled almost two-thirds of the distance to the Moon, making the following 18 days critical for the ISRO.
The Chandrayaan-3 Landing Module Vikram, with the rover Pragyan inside, will separate from the Propulsion Module after three additional procedures, the last of which will occur on August 17. The lander will next perform de-orbiting operations before making its powered land to the lunar surface.
So far, everything has gone seamlessly with the ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission, and on August 23, the Vikram lander is scheduled to arrive safely on the moon’s surface.
