Chandrayaan-3’s lander, Vikram, is set to detach from the propulsion module of the spacecraft today. The intended landing date for both the lander and the rover, Pragyaan, on the lunar surface is August 23rd. Once safely on the Moon, Vikram will capture images of the Pragyaan rover. Pragyaan will then initiate its instrument deployment to conduct a comprehensive study of seismic activities occurring on the Moon’s surface.
India’s ambitious lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, achieved a significant milestone yesterday by completing its fifth and final lunar-bound orbit adjustment. This achievement brought the spacecraft even closer to the Moon’s surface.
Following the successful execution of all planned lunar-bound maneuvers, the spacecraft is now poised for the separation of the lander, Vikram, from the propulsion module.
In a statement on the platform formerly known as Twitter, now referred to as X, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) conveyed, “The successful propulsion event today, of short duration but crucial importance, has positioned Chandrayaan-3 into the intended orbit of 153 km x 163 km. With this accomplishment, the lunar-bound maneuvers have been concluded. The Propulsion Module and the Lander Module are now in preparation mode for their distinct journeys.”
Chandrayaan-3 embarked on its space voyage on July 14th, propelled by the LVM3 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre located in Sriharikota. Subsequently, the spacecraft successfully entered lunar orbit on August 5th, with the projected lunar landing slated for August 23rd.
In a recent achievement, ISRO effectively established the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft in a circular orbit encompassing dimensions of 153 kilometers by 163 kilometers around the Moon. This marked the culmination of the entire suite of lunar-bound maneuvers.
Subsequent to the separation of the lander, Vikram, from the spacecraft, the propulsion module will persist in its trajectory within the same orbit. On the anticipated date of August 23rd, Vikram is slated to undertake a controlled soft landing on the lunar surface.
The ensuing phase will witness Vikram’s documentation of the rover Pragyaan, which, in turn, will employ laser technology to induce the liquefaction of a section of lunar regolith—a term for the surface layer of the Moon—thereby enabling the analysis of the emanating gases.
