Chandrayaan-3 latest update: Orbit-raising manoeuvre performed successfully, says ISRO

ISRO scientists on Tuesday successfully performed the fifth orbit-raising manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) informed in a post.

They performed the manoeuvre from the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).

"The orbit-raising manoeuvre (Earth-bound perigee firing) is performed successfully from ISTRAC/ISRO, Bengaluru. The spacecraft is expected to attain an orbit of 127609 km x 236 km. The achieved orbit will be confirmed after the observations," ISRO said.

The next firing, the TransLunar Injection (TLI), is planned for August 1, 2023, between 12 midnight and 1 am IST, the national space agency informed.

The scientists performed the fourth orbit-raising manoeuvre from ISTRAC in Bengaluru last Thursday, July 20. The first manoeuvre took place on July 15, followed by the second on July 16, and the third on July 18. With each manoeuvre, the space agency gradually increased the spacecraft's speed and positioned it for lunar insertion.

Chandrayaan-3 mission about:

The Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon was launched on July 14.

Chandrayaan-3's mission extends beyond merely reaching the Moon. It aims to conduct scientific experiments to study the lunar environment, including its history, geology, and potential for resources.

The spacecraft comprises a lander and rover, developed by ISRO, designed to safely land on the lunar surface, collect data, and conduct a series of scientific experiments.

The lander, named Vikram, and a rover named Pragyan are expected to land near the south polar region on August 23. This mission follows Chandrayaan-2, which experienced a last-minute glitch leading to the lander crashing after entering lunar orbit.

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