The Chandrayaan-3 mission not only displays India’s growing technical prowess in space research but also aims to make important scientific discoveries. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) shared the huge progress on India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission on Monday. They revealed that the spacecraft has now achieved a “near-circular orbit” around the moon. India’s ambitious third Moon mission’s spacecraft Chandrayaan-3, launched on July 14, has steadily reduced its orbit through a series of manoeuvres, with the most recent one on August 14 marking a key step in its journey. The space capsule is now even closer to the surface of the Moon. Chandrayaan-3’s orbit will be reduced to 174 km x 1437 km as a result of today’s manoeuvre. This manoeuvre happened on August 14, 2023, between 11:30 and 12:30 p.m.

The landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon will display the abilities of India for a soft and safe landing on the lunar surface making India the 4th country to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon. The next major operation is scheduled for August 16 around 8:30 am. During this phase, the spacecraft continues to lower its orbit to reach an altitude of 100 km.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath on Monday expressed confidence in the progress of the upcoming lunar mission Chandrayaan 3 and assured that all systems are working as planned. He also highlighted the successful launch of GSAT-24, which marks another step in India’s space exploration. He said, “Everything is going well now. A series of manoeuvres will be done till the (Moon) landing on August 23. The satellite is safe.”

Chandrayaan-3 consists of Lander and Rover configuration which is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2. It will be launched by LVM3 (The launch Vehicle Mark-III). The objectives of the mission are to confirm a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, to display rovers roving on the moon, and to conduct in-suit scientific experiments. Chandrayaan-3 consists of a PM (Propulsion Module), LM (Lunar Module), and a Rover to develop and demonstrate new technologies required for interplanetary missions. 

Chandrayaan mission (Indian lunar space mission) was started in 2008-09, Chandrayaan-1 was launched by PSLV (Polar satellite launch vehicles) India’s first moon mission which found water on the moon and mapped the moon in infrared visible and X-ray light from lunar orbit. Chandrayaan-2 which was launched by GSLV (Geosynchronous satellite launch vehicles) in 2019, was designed to be India’s first lunar lander. The spacecraft consisted of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, but just before the lander was to touch down to the moon, contact was lost at an altitude of 2 kilometres. Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2.