Chandrayaan-3 Begins Moon Journey – Earth Orbits Complete

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission spacecraft is on its way to the Moon, leaving Earth’s orbit on July 14. After spending two weeks in Earth’s orbit, it transitioned into the translunar orbit on a Tuesday.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) confirmed the successful maneuver, stating that the Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) plan is for August 5, 2023. During the LOI, the spacecraft will enter lunar orbit and begin orbiting the Moon.

Over the next 18 days, the spacecraft will reduce its velocity and adjust its orbit in preparation for the landing. The lander rover module will separate from the propulsion module at a final orbit of 100km and descend to the Moon’s surface on August 23.

The landing site is close to the one chosen for Chandrayaan-2 Mission.

The landing site is near the Moon’s southern pole and was selected because it remains in perpetual shade, where water, ice and other valuable minerals are stored. The lander rover can perform in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface as it roams.

ISRO stated that the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s duration would be one lunar day, roughly equivalent to 14 Earth days. The mission’s primary objectives are to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, conduct rover exploration on the Moon, and perform in-situ scientific experiments.

With this ambitious mission, India aims to explore further and expand its scientific understanding of the Moon’s composition and potential resources.