Chandrayaan 3: First Orbit Raising Maneuver Successfully Performed, Says ISRO

National

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has announced that the first orbit-raising maneuver known as Earthbound -Firing 1 was completed at ISTRAC/ ISRO in Bengaluru on Saturday 15 July. The spacecraft has now positioned an orbit of 41762 km which is farthest from the earth and 173 km which closest to the earth. Chandrayaan 3 is now rotating in an orbit around the Earth.

“The health of the spacecraft was normal”, according to the statement of ISRO.

During its 42 days journey to the Moon, three other orbit-raising maneuvers around the Earth will be conducted on the 18th, 20th, and 25th of July.

According to ISRO Chairman S Somnath, Chandrayaan 3 is estimated to land on August 23-24. He also said we want the landing to happen when the sun rises on the moon so we will get 14-15 (Earth) days to work. If this can’t happen then we will wait for another month and land in September.

Chandrayaan 3 was launched from Sriharikota station by ISRO on 14th July as India’s third lunar mission. If successful, India will join the exclusive group of the country that has completed a soft landing on the Moon. This exclusive group includes the United States, the erstwhile Soviet Union, and most recently China.
Chandrayaan 3 is supposed to land on the South pole of the Moon. The terrain of the south pole is very difficult and the condition is so extreme and adverse. The temperature is very low on the south pole of the Moon even sometimes it falls below 230 degrees Celsius.

Some part of the South Pole does not receive proper sunlight and these places remain darker. So, all these conditions make the exploration of the South Pole much more difficult. This mission will explore various unexplored regions of the South Pole of the Moon.
This Mission is under the leadership of Scientist Ritu Karidhal, famously known as India’s Rocket Women