India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 will attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface on Wednesday
India’s Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission is progressing towards a soft landing on the lunar surface in the unexplored south polar region. The mission recently completed its final de-boosting operation, successfully adjusting the lunar module’s orbit to 25 km x 134 km. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that the powered descent phase is scheduled for August 23, 2023, at around 17:45 Hrs. IST.
The lander, Vikram, is autonomously navigating its descent in the Moon’s orbit. It’s worth noting that the lander’s design remains consistent with that of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, with corrections made based on lessons learned from previous endeavors. Successful execution of this mission will establish India as the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon.
Following separation from the propulsion module, Vikram will carry out imaging tasks, including capturing images of the Pragyaan rover. This rover will explore the Moon’s surface chemistry and search for water, with a lifespan of one lunar day (equivalent to 14 Earth days). Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14 and entered lunar orbit on August 5.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Luna-25 probe encountered an “emergency” during a pre-landing maneuver, possibly affecting its upcoming landing in the lunar south pole region.
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