Sriharikota: The Lander Module of India’s third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 has completed its second and final deboost in the early hours of August 20. The deboost was carried out using the module’s onboard propulsion system and was successful in reducing the module’s velocity to about 1.6 kilometers per second.
The Lander Module is now in a lunar transfer orbit and is scheduled to make a soft landing on the Moon on September 7. The landing will take place in the South Pole region of the Moon, which is a region that has not been explored by any other spacecraft.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a follow-up to the Chandrayaan-2 mission, which was launched in 2019. The Chandrayaan-2 mission was successful in sending an orbiter, lander, and rover to the Moon. However, the lander crashed during its descent to the surface of the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is designed to address some of the challenges that were encountered during the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The Lander Module in Chandrayaan-3 has been equipped with a number of new features, such as a terrain-relative navigation system, which will help the module to land safely on the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is also carrying a number of new scientific instruments, which will be used to study the Moon’s surface and its interior. The instruments include a lunar impact probe, which will be used to study the effects of impacts on the Moon’s surface, and a lunar seismic experiment, which will be used to study the Moon’s seismic activity.
The successful completion of the Lander Module’s second and final deboost is a major milestone for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The mission is now one step closer to its goal of soft landing on the Moon and conducting important scientific experiments.
In addition to the Lander Module, the Chandrayaan-3 mission also consists of an Orbiter and a Rover. The Orbiter will remain in orbit around the Moon and will study its surface and atmosphere. The Rover will be deployed from the Lander Module and will explore the lunar surface.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission is a major undertaking for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission is expected to provide valuable insights into the Moon and its history. The success of the mission will also boost India’s space program and its growing reputation as a spacefaring nation.