Chandrayaan-3: Lander Module successfully separates from Propulsion Module
The spacecraft is scheduled to make a soft landing on the south polar region of the Moon on August 23
Lander Module of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft comprising the lander and rover has successfully separated from the Propulsion Module, ISRO said on Thursday.
In the next step Lander Module will descend to a slightly lower orbit around the Moon on Friday. “Thanks for the ride, mate! said the Lander Module (LM). LM is successfully separated from the Propulsion Module (PM). LM is set to descend to a slightly lower orbit upon a deboosting planned for tomorrow around 1600 Hrs., IST,” ISRO said in a post on Twitter.
Post its launch on July 14, Chandrayaan-3 entered into the lunar orbit on August 5, following which orbit reduction maneuvers were carried out on August 6, 9, 14 and 16.
As the mission progressed, a series of maneuvers are being conducted by ISRO to gradually reduce Chandrayaan-3’s orbit and position it over the lunar poles. The spacecraft is scheduled to make a soft landing on the south polar region of the Moon on August 23.
Following a slew of controlled moon-bound orbital manoeuvres, Chandrayaan-3 is now just a week away from making a soft landing on the south pole of the Moon. The controlled separation of Vikram and Pragyan from the propulsion module will be followed by a series of intricate braking manoeuvres.
The mission’s next stage involves the activation and validation of the onboard instruments encompassing the three pivotal scientific payloads of Vikram - RAMBHA-LP, ChaSTE, and ILSA. Vikram, the lander of Chandrayaan-3, is now geared up for two successive orbital-reduction manoeuvres.
(With agency inputs)