Chandrayaan-3 update: ISRO set for crucial maneuver as spacecraft inches closer to moon

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Times of India (ToI) said. The translunar injection (TL) will slingshot the lunar spacecraft toward the moon. The maneuver is planned between 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM on 1 August, the report added.

As the Chandrayaan-3 enters the perigee (the closest point between the moon and Earth), the thrusters of the spacecraft will be fired to undertake the TL maneuver. The whole process is expected to take 28 minutes to 31 minutes, the ToI report mentions. ISRO is expecting the Chandrayaan-3 to make a soft landing on 23 August and 24 August.

Following a gentle touchdown, the Rover will emerge from the lander module and utilize its sophisticated APXS (Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer) payloads. These instruments will analyze the moon's surface, enabling the Rover to deduce the chemical makeup and infer the mineralogical composition. This process aims to deepen our comprehension of the lunar terrain, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the moon's surface characteristics.

This is the second mission, attempting soft-landing on the moon as in 2019, ISRO launched unmanned spacecraft to the lunar surface, named Chandrayaan-2. The mission failed in September 2019, as the Vikram lander crashed upon reaching the Moon's surface. The Chief of ISRO referred to the 15-minute period of the soft landing on the Moon as the nerve-wracking "15 minutes of terror." During this critical phase, the lander had to execute precise engine firings at specific altitudes, carefully manage its fuel consumption, conduct accurate scans of the undulating lunar terrain with its hills and craters, and ultimately achieve a successful touchdown on the lunar surface.