The health of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is normal and it has entered the moon’s sphere of influence following the TransLunar Injection (TLI). The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) performed TLI to slingshot Chandrayaan-3 towards the moon early on Tuesday.
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The TLI was performed successfully from ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru.
The space agency updated that the health of the spacecraft which was launched on July 14 is normal.
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“The spacecraft’s health is normal. Tuesday’s perigee burn has successfully raised Chandrayaan-3 orbit to 288 kmx3,69,328 km. In this orbit, the spacecraft enters the moon’s sphere of influence. A crucial manoeuvre at perilune would achieve the Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI),” the space agency said.
Post the midnight TLI, ISRO said: “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,” the space agency said. The TLI was planned for August 1 between midnight and 1 a.m.
Chandrayaan-3 is expected to reach the lunar orbit on August 5 and the spacecraft’s liquid engine will be fired again to insert the spacecraft into a lunar orbit. “LOI is planned for August 5,” ISRO added.
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After this, there will be four orbit manoeuvres to make the spacecraft enter into its final orbit at a distance of about 100 km from the moon’s surface. The Chandrayaan-3 consists of a lander module (LM), a propulsion module (PM) and a rover.
The PM and LM separation would happen on August 17. A series of deboost manoeuvres are also scheduled to take place before the power descent phase for soft-landing on the moon. The lander is expected to touchdown on the moon surface on August 23 at 5.47 p.m.