Chandrayaan-3 update: Isro aces 4th orbit raising maneuver, spacecraft one step closer to Moon

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 20, 2023: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has successfully executed the fourth orbit-raising maneuver of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.

This significant development was announced by ISRO on Thursday, marking a crucial step in India’s ambitious lunar mission.

 

The maneuver, known as Earth-bound perigee firing, was carried out from the Isro Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru. This achievement propels Chandrayaan-3 closer to its ultimate destination - the Moon. The next firing is scheduled for July 25, 2023, between 2 and 3 pm IST, as part of the ongoing mission operations.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, aboard an LVM3-M4 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

Seventeen minutes post lift-off, the satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit. The successful execution of the fourth orbit-raising maneuver follows the third one, which was also successfully performed earlier this week.

Project director P Veeramuthuvel added that Isro would continue to closely monitor and control the spacecraft from ISTRAC.

Chandrayaan-3 carries scientific instruments designed to study various aspects of the lunar surface. These include the thermophysical properties of the lunar regolith, lunar seismicity, the lunar surface plasma environment, and the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site on the Moon.

The mission aims to expand our understanding of the Moon through detailed studies of its topography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics of top soil, and the composition of the lunar atmosphere.

As India celebrates International Moon Day 2023, the successful fourth orbit-raising maneuver of Chandrayaan-3 marks a significant milestone in the country’s space exploration journey.

Several critical events are now lined up, including insertion into lunar orbit, separation of the lander, a set of deboost maneuvers, and finally the power descent phase for a soft landing on the lunar surface.

Courtesy: India Today