Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander just did something pretty cool today! It decided to take a breather and slow down a bit by slipping into a slightly lower orbit around the Moon. This is the first step of its two-part “deboosting” process.
India’s third moon mission took a big step forward on Friday. It’s getting ready for a gentle landing on the Moon’s south pole, set for August 23rd. The Lander Module, which includes the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, smoothly changed its path and now orbits at 113 km by 157 km.
If Chandrayaan-3 mission does well, India will join a club abd become fourth country to ace the skill of gently landing a robot rover on the Moon, following the US, China, and the old Soviet Union.
Vikram Lander Successfully Deboosted, Nears Closer to Moon
Vikram Lander Achieves Important Milestone with Successful Deboosting Operation. Just one day after parting ways from its propulsion module, the Lander Module ‘Vikram’ has triumphantly completed a vital deboosting manoeuvre. This manoeuver has skill-fully guided Vikram into a lower orbit, edging it even nearer to the Moon.
With only 5 days left until Chandrayaan-3’s highly anticipated Moon landing on August 23rd, India is abuzz with excitement. The successful deboosting accomplishment has ignited celebrations at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).”
Lander Module Health is stable and Normal
Informing the public of Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module status, ISRO declared on Friday that the module has completed a successful deboosting maneuver, effectively slowing its velocity and bringing it into closer proximity to the Moon. The health of the Lander Module remains stable, marking a positive milestone in the mission’s progress.
Going from Flat to Standing: The Big Move for Chandrayaan-3’s Soft Landing
ISRO Chief Explains Key Element for Chandrayaan-3’s Soft Landing: Turning the Spacecraft Upright
ISRO’s head, S Somanath, highlighted an important part of Chandrayaan-3’s smooth landing. He mentioned that as the landing begins, the spacecraft moves at a speed of around 1.68 km per second, but this speed makes it go sideways along the moon’s surface. What’s interesting is that Chandrayaan-3 tilts about 90 degrees, so it needs to change its position to stand upright for the soft landing to work well.
S Somanath said “The ability to transfer the spacecraft from horizontal to vertical direction is the ‘trick we have to play’ here,”
Key Notes of ISRO’s Chandrayaan 3 mission
Just over a month ago, on July 14th, ISRO kicked off the Chandrayaan-3 adventure. The journey began from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The total budget for Chandrayaan-3 is ₹250 crore, which doesn’t include the cost of launching.
Chandrayaan-3 carries a special package: a lander, a rover, and a propulsion module. The whole thing weighs about 3,900 kilograms.
The mission will last for 1 lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days.
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