ISRO to Reduce Orbit of Chandrayaan-3 Tonight, a Day After Moon Entry
ISRO announced that the orbit of Chandrayaan-3 will be reduced tonight at 11 pm. Currently, Chandrayaan is moving in an elliptical orbit around the Moon, with a minimum distance of 164 km and a maximum distance of 18,074 km. After a 22-day journey, Chandrayaan entered the Moon’s orbit at 7:15 pm on Saturday. The vehicle’s speed was reduced by firing the thrusters for half an hour, allowing it to be captured by the Moon’s gravity. ISRO will change Chandrayaan’s orbit four times before its scheduled landing on August 23.
ISRO informed that the command for retro-burning at Perilune, the point closest to the Moon, was given from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC, Bengaluru. Thrusters fire in the opposite direction during retro-burning to slow down the vehicle’s speed.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched from Earth’s orbit towards the Moon on August 1, undergoing a translunar injection. The engine firing took place when Chandrayaan was 236 km away from Earth. The spacecraft, equipped with a Lander, Rover, and Propulsion Module, will conduct experiments at the Moon’s South Pole for 14 days, while the propulsion module studies radiation from Earth in the Moon’s orbit. The mission aims to study lunar earthquakes and the composition of lunar soil.
The journey of Chandrayaan-3 so far included several orbit adjustments to reach the Moon’s orbit. It is scheduled to land on August 23. Stay updated with the latest news by subscribing to our newsletter.