The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released a captivating video of the Moon, filmed by the Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC) aboard Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander.
Currently orbiting at 153 km x 163 km around the Moon, the Chandrayaan-3 mission is making steady progress. After a 384,400 km journey, the spacecraft is set to reach the Moon in about 40 days, with an expected arrival around August 24. This upcoming event follows a series of well-planned orbit-raising maneuvers that have guided the spacecraft on its path.
A significant milestone took place on August 17, when the propulsion module and the lander module of Chandrayaan-3 successfully separated after 34 days of tandem travel. The propulsion module facilitated the lander module’s journey from launch vehicle injection to a 100-km lunar orbit. With this separation, both modules can now proceed on their individual paths, with the lander module entering a slightly lower orbit.
ISRO playfully shared a social media post after the separation: “Thanks for the ride, mate!” exclaimed the Lander Module (LM). The next step involves a planned deboosting maneuver for the LM, scheduled for tomorrow around 1600 Hrs., IST. This maneuver will prepare the lander module for its descent to the designated lunar site.
Chandrayaan-3’s structure encompasses the lander module, propulsion module, and a rover. The rover will conduct in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface, aiding scientific investigations to unravel lunar mysteries. The lander module, capable of soft landing at a predetermined lunar site, will deploy the rover and initiate these crucial experiments.
