New Delhi: While Chandrayaan-3 frenzy keeps the nation & citizens captivated and glued to every minute detail of its movement, the scientists at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are preparing for its ‘next step of journey into space’. The Chandrayaan-3 on Wednesday completed its moon-bound manoeuver and is now set for a new path towards touchdown. ISRO today said that the Mission Mission has achieved a new milestone, as it has successfully completed 5th and final orbit reduction maneuver. "Today's successful firing, needed for a short duration, has put Chandrayaan-3 into an orbit of 153 km x 163 km, as intended. With this, the lunar bound maneuvers are completed," ISRO stated. Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Today’s successful firing, needed for a short duration, has put Chandrayaan-3 into an orbit of 153 km x 163 km, as intended. With this, the lunar bound maneuvres are completed. It’s time for preparations as the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module… pic.twitter.com/0Iwi8GrgVR — ISRO (@isro) August 16, 2023 Chandrayaan-3 was launched from Sriharikota’s Satish Dhawan Space Center on July 14 and is now just 163 kms away from the Moon’s surface. The spacecraft has been gradually reducing its orbit and positioning itself for a touchdown over the lunar polar region through a series of maneuvers since entering the orbit on August 5. Touchdown on Moon’s surface on Aug 23 The next round of lunar journey is separation of lander from the propulsion module. Once this separation happens, expected on August 17, the two modules would embark on their separate paths. Till now, the propulsion module was behind the lander movement but after separation, the latter will move forward and prepare for touchdown on Moon’s surface. The soft landing is slated to happen in South Polar region on August 23 at 5.47 PM. It is during this time that Lander Vikram (carrying Pragyan) will touch down on Moon’s surface. If landing is successful, six-wheeled rover Pragyan will emerge out of Vikram and begin its scanning & inspection of the Moon’s surface. It is expected to conduct experiments there for one lunar day (equivalent to 14 Earth days). If Chandryaan-3 mission remains successful in soft landing & subsequent lunar exploration, it will push Indian into a select league of nations. Till now, US, Russia, China are the only nations with similar milestones.
