The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is embarking to achieve a successful soft landing on the Moon with the launch of Chandrayaan-3. The spacecraft is now primed for its scheduled moon landing on August 23. This endeavor places India on track to become the fourth nation globally to achieve this remarkable milestone, joining the company of the United States, Russia, and China.
The mission was launched effectively on July 14 via the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota. It represents India’s third lunar expedition and its second endeavor to achieve a delicate landing on the Moon’s terrain.
Chandrayaan-3 entered a crucial phase on Thursday, as the lander, named Vikram, detached itself from the rest of the spacecraft and its propulsion module.
As per the ISRO, the spacecraft successfully underwent a fifth and final lunar-bound orbit maneuver, which brings it even closer to the surface of the Moon — putting Chandrayaan-3 into an orbit of 153 km x 163 km. This simply means that Chandrayaan-3 is 163 km away from the Moon.
Chandrayaan-3 plans to be the first to land on the Moon’s south pole. However, speculations are rife that Luna-25’s swift trajectory might enable it to land on the moon’s surface before Chandrayaan-3. Amid the claims, experts remain divided over the question of which spacecraft will land on the Moon’s south pole first.
According to the livemint, cnbctv18
