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Chandrayaan-3's Lunar Orbit descent triumph sets stage for Moon soft landing

ISRO confirmed that the health and condition of India's third lunar mission craft remain stable and within normal parameters...
 

On Sunday 6 August, 2023, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft made significant progress towards its intended soft landing on the moon. This advancement was achieved through the successful execution of a planned orbit reduction maneuver, which effectively lowered the spacecraft's lunar orbit. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that the health and condition of India's third lunar mission craft remain stable and within normal parameters.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission marked a significant achievement by successfully accomplishing the Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) on Saturday. This maneuver effectively positioned the spacecraft within the moon's orbit and allowed it to overcome the gravitational pull of Earth. Notably, ISRO has achieved this successful insertion into the lunar orbit for the third consecutive time, and has also accomplished similar feats with spacecraft insertion into Mars' orbit. Additionally, on Sunday, the space agency unveiled the initial images of the moon, captured by Chandrayaan-3, which is India's third lunar mission.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is progressing through a carefully planned series of maneuvers aimed at gradually positioning the spacecraft in a lunar orbit that is 100km above the lunar surface, while also aligning it with the lunar poles. Over the course of the next ten days, meticulous calculations will lead to the identification of an exact landing site near the moon's south pole. Following this determination, the propulsion module will detach from the lander while both are in orbit. Subsequently, the lander will initiate its descent from orbit, with the goal of achieving a soft landing.

Subsequent to the detachment and descent, a series of precisely orchestrated braking maneuvers will be conducted. These maneuvers are designed to enable a controlled and gentle landing within the Moon's South Polar region. This intricate landing process is anticipated to take place on August 23, at 5:47 pm.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is diligently overseeing the lunar landing timeline, taking into account crucial elements such as the moon's sunrise. In the event of necessity, there exists the possibility of rescheduling the landing attempt for the month of September. As Chandrayaan-3 successfully reaches and surpasses various important milestones, India's lunar mission draws nearer to a remarkable achievement: an unparalleled accomplishment of a successful lunar landing.

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