Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Injected into TransLunar Orbit by ISRO

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a major milestone on Tuesday as it successfully injected the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into the TransLunar orbit, bringing it closer to its destination, the Moon. ISRO confirmed the accomplishment through a tweet, announcing that the spacecraft had completed its orbits around the Earth and was now headed towards the Moon.

The critical perigee-firing, conducted at ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network), successfully propelled the spacecraft into the translunar trajectory. The Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) is scheduled for August 5, 2023, when the Chandrayaan-3 will enter the Moon’s orbit. The spacecraft was launched on July 14, 2023, using India’s heavy-lift rocket LVM3, marking a significant step in India’s space exploration efforts.

The Chandrayaan-3 consists of a propulsion module weighing 2,148 kg, a lander weighing 1,723.89 kg, and a rover weighing 26 kg. The primary objective of the mission is to ensure a safe landing of the lander on the lunar surface. After entering lunar orbit, the lander will separate from the propulsion module and is anticipated to make a gentle landing near the South Pole of the Moon on August 23, 2023, at 5.47 p.m.