Chandrayaan-3 gets closer to Moon's surface, performs another orbit-raising maneuver

India’s ambitious third Moon mission’s ‘Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully underwent another orbit reduction manoeuvre on Wednesday, bringing it even closer to the Moon’s surface, ISRO said.

“Even closer to the moon’s surface. Chandrayaan-3’s orbit is reduced to 174 km x 1437 km following a maneuver performed today,” ISRO said in a tweet.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Even closer to the moon’s surface.

Chandrayaan-3’s orbit is reduced to 174 km x 1437 km following a manuevre performed today.

The next operation is scheduled for August 14, 2023, between 11:30 and 12:30 Hrs. IST pic.twitter.com/Nx7IXApU44

— ISRO (@isro) August 9, 2023

The next operation is scheduled for August 14, 2023, between 11:30 and 12:30 hrs, it said.

As the mission progresses, a series of maneuvers is being conducted by ISRO to gradually reduce Chandrayaan-3’s orbit and position it over the lunar poles.

Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission, was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14.

Notably, this is the fourth country after the US, China, and Russia, that landed its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the country’s ability for a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface.

Upon landing, it will operate for one lunar day, which is approximately 14 Earth days. One day on the Moon is equal to 14 days on Earth.