Chandrayaan-3 Makes Crucial Orbit Manoeuvre Set To Bring It Closer To Moon's Surface

India's Chandrayaan-3 is making significant progress in its mission to reach the Moon's surface.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed just after noon that a precise manoeuvre performed today has achieved a near-circular orbit of 150 km x 177 km for Chandrayaan-3.

Previously, the spacecraft was in an elliptical orbit of 174 km x 1437 km.

"Orbit circularisation phase commences," the space agency said.

Chandrayaan-3 will ultimately be guided to a 100 km circular orbit before the crucial final phase, beginning with lander separation, is initiated.

Chandrayaan-3 is now only 177 km away from the Moon at the farthest point in the lunar orbit. There was a time around mid-July before launch when the Moon was about 384,000 km away.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched from Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Center on 14 July 2023. Since then, it has been steadily progressing towards its goal. The upcoming operation will bring the spacecraft even closer to the Moon, marking a significant milestone in its journey.

The procedures leading up to the soft landing are carefully planned and executed in three stages. These stages include Earth orbit manoeuvres, Trans-lunar injection, and Lunar orbit manoeuvres.

Once these stages are completed, the lander separates from the propulsion module and enters an orbit closer to the Moon, initiating the process of soft landing.

Chandrayaan-3's mission is not only a demonstration of India's advancing technical capabilities in space exploration but also aims to make significant scientific discoveries. This mission is set to land in the Moon's little-explored south-polar region, an area believed to hold potential for new findings.

Thorough analysis of data from the previous mission, Chandrayaan-2, has been conducted to ensure a successful landing this time.

The exact landing site for Chandrayaan-3 will be determined in the coming days. Once determined, the propulsion module will detach from the lander while in orbit. The lander will then descend from orbit and attempt a soft landing. If successful, India will join the ranks of the US, the former Soviet Union, and China, becoming only the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon.