Bengaluru: India's Chandrayaan-3, the nation's third lunar mission, achieved a significant milestone as it successfully executed its fifth and final lunar orbit maneuver on Wednesday.
This successful maneuver brings the spacecraft even closer to the lunar surface. As a result of these lunar-bound maneuvers, Chandrayaan-3 has concluded this phase and is now preparing for the subsequent separation of its propulsion module and lander module, said ISRO.
The space agency announced, "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. It's time for preparations as the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module gear up for their separate journeys."
The separation of the lander module from the propulsion module of the spacecraft is scheduled for August 17, according to ISRO's plan.
Following its launch on July 14, Chandrayaan-3 entered lunar orbit on August 5. Subsequently, three successive orbit reduction maneuvers were carried out on August 6, 9, and 14, each designed to bring the spacecraft progressively closer to the Moon.
As the mission advances, ISRO is conducting a series of maneuvers to gradually reduce Chandrayaan-3's orbit and accurately position it over the lunar poles.
The upcoming schedule for the spacecraft involves a pivotal soft landing on the Moon's south polar region, set to occur on August 23. This phase of the mission represents a crucial step towards India's continued exploration of space and the Moon.
Chandrayaan-3 is poised to add another chapter to India's space achievements, contributing to the country's growing reputation as a formidable player in space exploration and technology.