Chandrayaan-3 LIVE Updates: Vikram Lander successfully completes first deboosting maneuver

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Chandrayaan-3 mission

“Now I think I’m quite confident, more than 100% it’s going to be a safe landing (Chandrayaan 3 landing). I was watching with slightly caution the moment when Chandrayaan was to move out of Earth’s orbit and move to Moon’s orbit because that a critical situation. Most of the critical stages are over now,” he said, as per PTI.

ISRO successfully performs second orbit-lifting exercise

ISRO has successfully performed the second Earth-bound apogee firing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft. “The spacecraft is now in 41603 km X 226 km orbit,” the space agency said.

Moon’s view from Vikram Lander

ISRO has shared a picture from the Vikram Lander where the Moon is clearly visible. Take a look here. ISRO also said, “View from the Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1 on August 17, 2023. Just after the separation of the Lander Module from the Propulsion Module”. 

ISRO gives mission update

The ISRO official Twitter has shared a new update. It said, “The Lander Module (LM) health is normal. LM successfully underwent a deboosting operation that reduced its orbit to 113 km x 157 km. The second deboosting operation is scheduled for August 20, 2023, around 0200 Hrs. IST”. 

Know the different parts of Chandrayaan-3

The Chandrayaan-3 comprises of 3 components – a lunar lander named Vikram, a rover named Pragyan, and the propulsion module. The names were retained from the previous Chandrayaan-2 mission which crashed on the lunar surface during its descent. On August 1, the spacecraft entered its translunar orbit and it commenced its lunar orbit just 4 days later. Since then, it has been carrying out a series of maneuvers that have gradually reduced its gap with the Moon.

What will Vikram Lander do after its landing?

After landing, the propulsion module will continue in its current orbit for months or even years. The Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload aboard the module will carry out a series of experiments, such as a spectroscopic study of the Earth’s atmosphere, measurement of variations in polarization from the clouds on Earth, and collection of Exoplanet signatures that would qualify for our habitability.

Chandrayaan-3: What’s next?

As per ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 will now carry out two orbit-reduction maneuvers where it will initially enter a lower 100 x 100 km orbit, before settling in a 100 x 30 orbit. The spacecraft will then make its final descent for a lunar touchdown, which is expected to occur on August 23.

What does ‘deboosting the Vikram Lander’ actually mean?

During this phase of the mission, Chandrayaan-3 will slow down and position itself in a lower orbit where its Perilune (the point at which a spacecraft in lunar orbit is closest to the moon) will be 30 kilometers and Apolune (the point at which a spacecraft in lunar orbit is furthest from the moon) will be about 100 kilometers. 

Chandrayaan-3 Mission update by ISRO

the Propulsion Module continues its journey in the current orbit for months/years.

The SHAPE payload onboard it would

• Perform spectroscopic study of the Earth’s atmosphere and
• Measure the variations in polarization from the clouds on Earth
• To accumulate signatures of Exoplanets that would qualify for our habitability!
   

This payload is SHAPEd by U R Rao Satellite Centre/ISRO, Bengaluru.