Chandrayaan-3 One Step Closer To Moon Landing, Key Trans Lunar Injection Tonight

After more than two weeks of orbit-raising manoeuvres around Earth, Chandrayaan-3 is set for a crucial trans lunar injection (TLI) tonight, between 12 midnight to 1 am IST.

During this critical move, the spacecraft's thrusters will be activated to propel it beyond Earth's gravity and into the moon's orbit.

Previously, LVM3 positioned the spacecraft and its propulsion module in an elongated Earth orbit, followed by subsequent orbit-raising manoeuvres, resulting in a trajectory of 1,27,603 km x 236 km. Now, the thrusters will once again come to life, transferring the spacecraft to a lunar orbit. The powerful burn will enable Chandrayaan-3 to enter the moon's sphere of influence, performing a hyperbolic lunar swingby, thus setting it on course to intercept the Moon.

Upon reaching the Moon, the propulsion module will gently lower Chandrayaan-3 to a circular, 100-kilometre orbit. There, the two components will separate, allowing the lander to deorbit and execute a soft landing in the Moon's south polar region on August 23, as per the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) schedule.

Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota on July 14, India's third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, has completed five orbit-raising manoeuvres around Earth and attained an elliptical path with the farthest and closest points at 127,603 km x 236 km.

With tonight's firing, Chandrayaan-3 will break free from Earth's gravity and commence its journey towards the Moon. Once it reaches the Moon, it will enter lunar orbit and move closer to the innermost circle over the first week of August. Over the next ten days, it will determine the precise landing location in the Moon's south pole region, as announced by Union Space Minister Jitendra Singh.

Chandrayaan-3 aims to achieve objectives similar to its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2:

• Demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface.
• Showcase the mobility of the Rover on the Moon's terrain.
• Conduct in-situ scientific experiments on the lunar surface.