Chandrayaan-3 Snapshot: ISRO Releases Breathtaking Images Of Earth And Moon

After successfully executing another orbit reduction maneuver, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has drawn even closer to the Moon's surface. This milestone comes after the spacecraft's launch on July 14 and subsequent entry into the Moon's orbit on August 5 as part of India's ambitious third Moon mission.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently shared a fresh collection of images that were captured by Chandrayaan-3. These images showcase views of both the Earth and the Moon, offering a glimpse of the spacecraft's perspective.

In a tweet on Wednesday, ISRO announced, "Even closer to the moon's surface. Chandrayaan-3's orbit is reduced to 174 km x 1437 km following a maneuver performed today." The next planned operation is scheduled for August 14, set to take place between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, as confirmed by ISRO.

The picture was taken by the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC) located on the spacecraft. This specific camera, alongside the Lander Imager (LI), was designed by the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad and the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems in Bengaluru.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
🌎 viewed by
Lander Imager (LI) Camera
on the day of the launch
&
🌖 imaged by
Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC)
a day after the Lunar Orbit Insertion

LI & LHV cameras are developed by SAC & LEOS, respectively https://t.co/tKlKjieQJS… pic.twitter.com/6QISmdsdRS

— ISRO (@isro) August 10, 2023

According to reports, two more orbit reduction maneuvers are expected in the coming days, aiming to bring the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft even nearer to the Moon. These maneuvers are scheduled for August 14 and 16, aiming to achieve a 100 km orbit. Subsequently, the landing module, which encompasses both the lander and rover, will detach from the propulsion module.

Following this detachment, the lander is expected to undergo a "deboost" procedure, which involves slowing down its descent. This process is intended to facilitate a gentle landing on the south polar region of the Moon, expected to occur on August 23.