ISRO: Chandrayaan-3’s final trek to Moon begins

In a noteworthy achievement in India’s lunar exploration efforts, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has effectively detached the Vikram lander from the propulsion module as part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. This accomplishment took place today at 1 pm.

This development brings the spacecraft closer to its goal of executing a gentle landing on the lunar surface.

The lander, named in honor of the visionary behind India’s space program, Vikram Sarabhai, is accompanied by the Pragyan rover. The successful separation of the lander from the propulsion module signifies a pivotal advancement in the mission’s progress.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is currently in an orbit of 153 km x 163 km around the Moon. The next major event will be the selection of the landing site.

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Expanding Landing Area and Targeting South-Polar Region for ISRO Lunar Mission

Isro has expanded the landing area and chosen a spot with a 4 km x 2.4 km area, instead of 500 square meters during Chandrayaan-2. This decision was made to provide more flexibility for the landing attempt.

The south-polar region of the Moon, despite its challenging terrain, is a highly valued target for scientists due to the potential presence of substantial amounts of ice. This could be useful for extracting fuel, oxygen, and even drinking water.

The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover are expected to land on the lunar surface on August 23.

However, they face competition from Russia’s Luna-25 mission, which was launched weeks after Chandrayaan-3 but could land on the Moon two days earlier. Despite the close timelines, both missions have different landing areas planned, ensuring no interference or collision risk.

The objective of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is to showcase a secure and gentle touchdown on the lunar terrain and carry out on-site scientific investigations.

This endeavor comes after the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which encountered a setback in September 2019. During the landing endeavor, the Vikram lander veered off course from its intended trajectory, leading to a communication loss.

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