Chandrayaan-3 Completes Last Orbit Maneuver, Moon Gets Closer

New Delhi: Moon-bound Chandrayaan-3 on Wednesday successfully underwent the final orbit maneuver taking it closer to the lunar surface.

It will now prepare for the separation of the lander module, comprising the lander and rover, from the propulsion module.

“Today’s successful firing, needed for a short duration, has put Chandrayaan-3 into an orbit of 153 km x 163 km, as intended. With this, the lunar-bound maneuvers are completed. It’s time for preparations as the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module gear up for their separate journeys,” ISRO said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Separation of the lander module from the propulsion module is planned for August 17, ISRO informed.

Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission was launched on July 14. It reached lunar orbit on August 5. After that orbit reduction maneuvers were carried out on August 6, 9 and 14.

The lander and rover will break away from the propulsion module to make a soft landing on the south-polar region of the Moon.