New Delhi: India’s ambitious Chandrayaan-3 mission is poised to execute a pivotal manoeuvre on Wednesday, marking its second moon-bound operation. This critical event, scheduled between 1:00 and 2:00 pm, aims to modify the spacecraft’s lunar orbit as part of the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) strategic approach in preparation for its anticipated soft landing on August 23.
Chandrayaan-3, the “Moon craft,” as named in Sanskrit, has been achieving noteworthy milestones since its successful launch on July 14. Having entered lunar orbit on August 5, the subsequent day saw the execution of its initial orbit reduction manoeuvre. Three additional de-orbiting manoeuvres are slated for August 9, 14, and 16.
Today’s imminent moon-bound manoeuvre stands as a pivotal juncture in the mission’s trajectory, employing the onboard propulsion system to further adjust the spacecraft’s lunar orbit. The objective is to establish an orbit of 170 km x 4313 km, effectively bringing Chandrayaan-3 closer to its ultimate destination: the moon’s southern polar region.
Orbit reduction is an integral phase of lunar missions, involving a gradual deceleration to facilitate a controlled descent onto the lunar surface. Successfully soft-landing on August 23 would mark a significant triumph for ISRO and India, placing Chandrayaan-3 amidst the challenging terrain of the moon’s South Pole—an unexplored territory that no other nation has ventured upon.
This mission’s central aim is to gather data and conduct scientific inquiries to unravel the moon’s compositional mysteries. In parallel, Russia’s imminent launch of its inaugural lunar landing spacecraft in 47 years, scheduled for August 11, has intriguing temporal parallels with Chandrayaan-3’s landing date. This simultaneous progress hints at a synchronised race to achieve a lunar touchdown.
Meanwhile, Russia’s launch, set to emanate from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, is primed to take place just four weeks subsequent to India’s Chandrayaan-3 ascent. The two spacecraft’s potential lunar landings might harmoniously coincide, or Russia’s Luna-25 could narrowly precede Chandrayaan-3’s touchdown.
Reflecting on the mission’s resilience, ISRO Chairman S Somanath assured that Chandrayaan-3’s Lander, Vikram, has been adeptly engineered to facilitate a successful soft landing even if certain sensors and engines encounter setbacks. Somanath emphasised that Vikram’s design caters to contingencies, underscoring its adaptability in navigating challenges.
Chandrayaan-3’s expedition is set to span two weeks of experiments, while Luna-25—Russia’s venture—anticipates a year of lunar exploration. Upon its anticipated landing, Chandrayaan-3 will operate throughout a single lunar day, equivalent to approximately 14 Earth days. The amassed insights hold potential to unveil novel facets of the moon’s surface characteristics, atmospheric conditions, and tectonic activities.
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