Bengaluru(India), 18/08/23: On August 18, a day after the lander module (LM) detached from the propulsion module (PM), it successfully completed the deboosting operation.
According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the LM successfully completed a deboosting procedure that decreased its orbit to 113 km x 157 km.
The space agency will try to carry out the second deboosting operation on August 20, 2023.
After the first operation ISRO stated, “The second deboosting operation is scheduled for August 20, 2023, around 0200 Hrs. IST.”
The lander is scheduled to touchdown on the moon’s surface at 5:47 p.m. on August 23, 2023.
On August 17, the propulsion module and the lander module successfully separated and began their own journeys.
The Chandrayaan-3 consists of a lander module, a propulsion module, and a rover.
The lander will be able to soft land at a predetermined lunar location and deploy the Rover, which will conduct in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface while moving. The lander and rover both feature scientific payloads to conduct experiments on the lunar surface.
The primary role of the propulsion module is to transport the lander module from launch vehicle injection to the final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate thr Lander Module from the prolonged module.
As an added advantage, the propulsion module has one research payload that will operate once the lander module is separated. The payload will be functional for three to six months. The mission life of the lander and rover is one lunar day (14 earth days).
