Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Covers Two-Thirds Of Journey To Moon, Lunar Orbit Insertion Tomorrow

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the successful progress of Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar mission, as it has completed approximately two-thirds of its journey to the moon as of August 4.

Having traveled around 2.6 lakh kilometers, Chandrayaan-3 has achieved a significant milestone in its lunar expedition.

ISRO has scheduled the crucial Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) for August 5, around 7:00 pm IST. During this critical phase, the spacecraft will enter the moon's sphere of influence, initiating the moon-centric phase of its mission.

The LOI is a pivotal maneuver that adjusts the spacecraft's trajectory to achieve lunar orbit. It involves a substantial burn, typically executed by a chemical rocket engine, which boosts the spacecraft's velocity. This increased velocity shifts the spacecraft's orbit from a circular low Earth orbit to a highly eccentric one, precisely targeting the moon as it orbits around the Earth.

After successfully completing the LOI, Chandrayaan-3 will be captured in an orbit around the moon.

The spacecraft will then proceed with a series of intricate maneuvers to descend to the lunar surface. These maneuvers include separating the lander, conducting deboost maneuvers, and ultimately the descent phase for a soft landing on the lunar surface.

Earlier, on August 1, ISRO reported that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft had completed its orbits around the Earth and was en route to the Moon.

"Chandrayaan-3 completes its orbits around the Earth and heads towards the Moon. A successful perigee-firing performed at ISTRAC, ISRO has injected the spacecraft into the translunar orbit," ISRO tweeted.

The next destination for Chandrayaan-3 is the moon, with the Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) planned for August 5, 2023, according to the national space agency.