Chandrayaan-3 update: Isro aces 4th orbit raising maneuver, spacecraft one step closer to Moon.

The maneuver, known as Earth-bound perigee firing, was carried out from the Isro Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru.

In Short

  • Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023
  • Seventeen minutes post lift-off, the satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit
  • The next firing is scheduled for July 25, 2023

By India Today Science Desk: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has successfully executed the fourth orbit-raising maneuver of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.

This significant development was announced by ISRO on Thursday, marking a crucial step in India’s ambitious lunar mission.

The maneuver, known as Earth-bound perigee firing, was carried out from the Isro Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru. This achievement propels Chandrayaan-3 closer to its ultimate destination – the Moon. The next firing is scheduled for July 25, 2023, between 2 and 3 pm IST, as part of the ongoing mission operations.

 
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, aboard an LVM3-M4 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

Seventeen minutes post lift-off, the satellite was precisely injected into its intended orbit. The successful execution of the fourth orbit-raising maneuver follows the third one, which was also successfully performed earlier this week.

 

Project director P Veeramuthuvel added that Isro would continue to closely monitor and control the spacecraft from ISTRAC.

Chandrayaan-3 carries scientific instruments designed to study various aspects of the lunar surface. These include the thermophysical properties of the lunar regolith, lunar seismicity, the lunar surface plasma environment, and the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site on the Moon.