Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft to enter Moon's orbit at 7 pm today

Chandrayaan- 3 to reach moon’s orbit today with the Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) planned around 7 pm by ISRO

Chandrayaan- 3 to reach moon’s orbit today with the Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) planned around 7 pm by ISRO. (AP)

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, launched on July 14, has traveled approximately two-thirds of the distance to the Moon. As per ISRO, it is scheduled to enter the lunar orbit today, August 5, with the Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) planned around 7 pm. ISRO has confirmed the spacecraft's well-being, and its goal is to make a gentle landing on the lunar surface on August 23rd.

ISRO accomplished a successful perigee burn on midnight of August 1, raising the spacecraft's orbit to position it within the gravitational pull of the moon. The spacecraft then followed an orbit that ranged from the closest distance of 288 kilometers to Earth to the farthest point of 369,328 kilometers.

India's lunar endeavor enters a crucial phase with the LOI maneuver, a precise navigation procedure to guide the spacecraft into the moon's orbit. Around August 23, a significant milestone awaits, as India aims for a gentle touchdown near the moon's southern pole. This achievement would mark India as the fourth country to succeed in this endeavor and the pioneer at the lunar south pole.

On the way to the Moon!

As Chandrayaan-3 approaches its lunar target, the propulsion module will gradually decrease its altitude. During the initial week of August, the spacecraft is scheduled to execute 5-6 orbits around the moon, progressively shifting to a circular orbit at an altitude of 100 kilometers. In the subsequent ten days, a specific landing site near the moon's south pole will be identified with precision. Afterward, the lander will be commanded to descend from its orbit and endeavor a gentle landing.

About Chandrayaan- 3 Mission

The Chandrayaan-3 mission took off from India on July 14 at 2:35 p.m. Indian Standard Time. The mission primarily aims to achieve a secure lunar landing to facilitate the execution of experiments. NASA reports that the lander is set to touch down along with the rover in the southern polar area of the Moon. Following the successful landing, the lander is expected to gather surface materials for a span of 14 Earth days. The Chandrayaan-3 project incurred an estimated cost of around Rs. 615 crore.