The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) tweeted about the success of Chandrayaan 2’s third lunar orbit manoeuver that was performed at 9:04 am
Bengaluru: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the third lunar bound orbit manoeuver for Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was performed successfully today at 9.04 am.
The manoeuver went as planned, using the onboard propulsion system. The duration of the maneuver was 1190 seconds. The orbit achieved is 179 km x 1412 km.
It also mentioned that all spacecraft parameters are normal. The next lunar bound orbit maneuver is scheduled on August 30, 2019 between 6pm to 7pm.
The second lunar bound orbit manoeuvre for the spacecraft was successfully performed last week. There will be three more orbit manoeuvres to make the spacecraft enter its final orbit passing over the lunar poles at a distance of about 100km from the moon's surface.
The crucial process of the soft landing of the Vikram lander onboard the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft that is currently in the lunar orbit will be taken up in the early hours of September 7, ISRO chairman K Sivan said.
Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation in Bengaluru would be engaged in this process which is expected to be completed by 1:55 am, he told reporters at the airport in Chennai.
"It is expected to make a soft landing (on the surface of the moon) at around 1:40am and completed by 1:55 am. At the global level, this is an important mission. It is being keenly watched by everyone," he said.
Elaborating on the complexity involved, he said the speed of the spacecraft needs to be brought down to 'zero'. In a major milestone for India's second moon mission, Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft successfully entered the lunar orbit on Tuesday (August 27) by performing Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) manoeuvre.
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