Bengaluru: The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has been successfully launched into lunar orbit. According to a tweet from the Indian Space Research Organisation, a retro-burning at the Perilune was commanded from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru. The next operation, orbit lowering, is slated for Sunday around 11 p.m. Indian Standard Time.
Following lunar orbit insertion, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will orbit the Moon several times, gradually nearing it. The lander and rover will be removed and manoeuvred to soft-land on the lunar surface once it reaches a 100 km orbit above the lunar surface. The spacecraft is anticipated to arrive at the Moon’s south pole on August 23rd after a 40-day voyage. India will be the fourth country to accomplish this feat and the first to land softly near the lunar south pole. The GSLV Mark III rocket launched Chandrayaan 3 on July 14.