A day after the lander module (LM) separated from the propulsion module (PM) , it successfully underwent a deboosting operation on August 18.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the LM successfully underwent a deboosting operation that reduced its orbit to 113 km x 157 km.
Also read: ISRO releases two videos of the Moon on August 18
The space agency plans to carry out the second deboosting operation on August 20, 2023.
“The second deboosting operation is scheduled for August 20, 2023, around 0200 Hrs. IST,” it said after the first deboosting operation.
The lander is expected to touch down on the moon surface on August 23, 2023 at 5.47 p.m.
On August 17 the propulsion module and the lander module successfully separated and embarked on their respective journeys.
The Chandrayaan-3 consists of a lander module, a propulsion module and a rover.
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.
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).
