Chandrayaan-3: Vikram lander enters deboosting process, to reach destination by Aug 23

Chandrayaan 3 was successfully launched on July 14 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota at 2:35 pm.(Image: ISRO)

Vikram, the lander of Chandrayaan-3 has successfully entered its deboosting process, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on August 18.

"The Lander Module (LM) health is normal," ISRO posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The second deboosting operation is scheduled for August 20, 2023, at around 2pm.

The lander will now undergo two successive orbital-reduction manoeuvres over the next five days before it makes the final descent on the lunar surface on August 23, at around 5:47 pm.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission: The Lander Module (LM) health is normal.

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LM successfully underwent a deboosting operation that reduced its orbit to 113 km x 157 km. The second deboosting operation is scheduled for August 20, 2023, around 0200 Hrs. IST #Chandrayaan_3#Ch3pic.twitter.com/0PVxV8Gw5z — ISRO (@isro) August 18, 2023

The first orbital manoeuvre will plant Vikram into a circular orbit at a height of 100x100 km above the Moon. This will be followed by a second one which will strategically position it into the final orbit at a height of 100x30 km above the lunar surface, from where it will initiate the final descent on August 23.

Chandrayaan-3 entered the ultimate stage of its flight on August 17 after its lander module, comprising Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, underwent a controlled separation from the propulsion module.

The spacecraft was successfully launched on July 14 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota at 2:35 pm.

Chandrayaan 3 will meticulously study the Moon's exosphere, mapping its composition and variations. This data will be instrumental in understanding Moon's evolution and its interactions with solar winds.

Also Read | Roadmap to lunar success: Chandrayaan-3 is key to India's long-term space exploration