NEW DELHI, Aug 16: After orbiting together for 34 days on-board the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, the Propulsion Module (PM) and the Lander Module (LM) will part ways on Thursday (August 17) and embark on their respective journeys.
On Wednesday, the ISRO successfully carried out the fifth and final orbit reduction manoeuvre. The manoeuvre which commenced at 8.30 a.m. was performed from ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru. “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 manoeuvre are completed,” ISRO said.
“It’s time for preparations as the Propulsion Module and the Lander Module gear up for their separate journeys. Separation of the Lander Module from the Propulsion Module is planned for August 17, 2023,” the ISRO said on Wednesday after successfully performing the fifth and final orbit reduction manoeuvre. The propulsion module will separate from the lander while in orbit.
According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan-3 consists of a Lander Module, a Propulsion Module and a Rover with the objective of developing and demonstrating new technologies required for Inter planetary missions. “The Lander will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility. The Lander and the Rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface,” ISRO said.
The main function of the Propulsion Module is to carry the Lander Module from launch vehicle injection till final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the Lander Module from the Propulsion Module.
The Propulsion Module also has one scientific payload as a value addition which will be operated post separation of the Lander Module. The payload will be operational for a period of three to six months. The Lander and the Rover have a mission life of one Lunar day (14 Earth days).
After the separation of the two modules, a series of complex braking manoeuvres will be executed to facilitate a soft landing in the South Polar region of the Moon on August 23 at 5.47 p.m.
(Manas Dasgupta)