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Chandrayaan-3, the country’s lunar mission, has successfully entered the lunar orbit after a journey of twenty-three days. This milestone marks a significant step in India’s endeavor to become the first nation to achieve a soft landing on the moon.
In this article you will get to know about the recent developments of Chandrayaan-3 and it’s exciting journey.
The Journey towards the Chandrayaan-3
Twenty-three days ago, Chandrayaan-3 started its exciting journey from Earth towards the Moon. For the last five days, the spacecraft has been steadily moving closer to the moon, carefully adjusting its path to enter the moon’s orbit.
The Entry into Lunar Orbit
On Saturday’s evening, Chandrayaan-3 successfully entered into the lunar orbit, making a significant milestone in the mission’s journey. As the spacecraft started circling the moon, it began transmitting signals to the Mission Operators Complex (MOX) at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Netwrok (ISTRAC). The successful entry of spacecraft shows its readiness for further maneuvers and operations in the lunar orbit.
Current Status of Chandrayaan-3
As of now, Chandrayaan-3 is in an elliptical orbit around the moon, situated approximately 18,074 km from the lunar surface at its farthest point and 164 km at its nearest. However, this elliptical orbit is not the final configuration. Over the next few days, the spacecraft’s altitude will be progressively lowered. The mission aims to achieve a circular orbit, with an altitude of 100 km x 100km above the moon’s surface.
The Path Ahead of Chandrayaan-3
ISRO engineers and scientists are gearing up for a crucial series of altitude reduction maneuvers, this will bring Chandrayaan-3 closer to the moon’s surface, preparing it for the final destination.