Deboosting involves slowing down the spacecraft by reducing thrust, which is essential for achieving a stable orbit...
Digital Desk: The Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is set to perform a crucial deboosting maneuver today at 4:00 pm, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) stated.
This important step is a part of the spacecraft's last-minute preparations for its scheduled landing on the Moon's surface on August 23.
Deboosting involves slowing down the spacecraft by reducing thrust, which is essential for achieving a stable orbit.
Following this procedure, the Vikram lander, named after the father of India's space program, Vikram Sarabhai, will enter a slightly lower orbit around the Moon. The lander will be ready for its final drop into the lunar surface after this maneuver.
Since Chandrayaan-3's launch on July 14, several successful maneuvers have preceded the deboosting procedure. The spacecraft carried out five Earth-bound maneuvers before being put on a course for the Moon via a trans-lunar injection on August 1. On August 5, it was successful in entering the lunar orbit.
The Pragyan rover and Vikram lander successfully separated from the Propulsion Module on Thursday. While the lander gets ready for its final fall, the Propulsion Module will continue its journey in its current orbit for several months or years.
Following the deboosting maneuver, a series of procedures will be performed to place Vikram in an orbit where the Perilune (closest point to the Moon) and Apolune (farthest point from the Moon) are 30 kilometers and 100 kilometers, respectively.
This arrangement sets the ground for the most important phase of the landing: slowing the lander's speed from a height of 30 kilometers to the actual touchdown.
The accomplishment of this mission will strengthen India's status in the international community of space exploration.
India's third effort at lunar exploration through the Chandrayaan program is Chandrayaan-3. It aims to advance the scientific discoveries made by earlier missions, such as the discovery of lunar surface water ice.
The Vikram lander will land on the moon on August 23, which will be a major accomplishment for India's lunar exploration endeavors.
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