India’s ambitious Chandrayaan-3 mission took a significant step forward on Monday as the spacecraft underwent another maneuver, moving it closer to the surface of the Moon. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that Chandrayaan-3 has now achieved a “near-circular orbit” around the lunar body.
Following its launch on July 14, Chandrayaan-3 entered lunar orbit on August 5, after which two orbit reduction maneuvers were executed on August 6 and 9. The latest maneuver, described as “precise” by ISRO, accomplished a near-circular orbit of 150 km x 177 km. The next operation is scheduled for August 16 at around 8:30 am.
As the mission advances, ISRO is conducting a series of maneuvers to gradually decrease Chandrayaan-3’s orbit and position it over the lunar poles. Another significant step is planned for August 16, in which the spacecraft will reach a 100 km orbit. Subsequently, the landing module, comprising the lander and rover, will separate from the propulsion module.
The lander is expected to undergo a “deboost” process to slow down before executing a soft landing on the Moon’s south polar region on August 23. ISRO Chairman S Somnath emphasized the critical nature of this landing, highlighting the complex task of changing the lander’s velocity and orientation from horizontal to vertical.
Somnath explained that the velocity at the beginning of the landing process is approximately 1.68 km per second, but this speed is horizontal to the lunar surface. To achieve a soft landing, the spacecraft must transition from a horizontal to a vertical orientation. This phase is particularly intricate due to past difficulties faced during the Chandrayaan 2 mission.
Furthermore, fuel efficiency, accurate distance calculations, and algorithmic accuracy are crucial aspects that need to be carefully managed to ensure a successful landing.
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