India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon‘s south pole has sent its first images of the moon ahead of its expected landing on the lunar surface later this month.
The spacecraft carrying the mission successfully entered lunar orbit on Saturday, after which the Indian space agency ‘ISRO’ (Indian Space Research Organisation) tweeted the first images of the moon taken from orbit.
The images show craters on the moon that grew larger as the spacecraft approached the lunar surface.
After about 10 days of orbiting the Earth, the spacecraft has begun orbiting the Moon and the rover and lander are expected to land on the lunar surface on August 23.
ISRO tweeted that Chandrayaan-3 mission today crossed a major milestone with the successful completion of Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI).
The achievement was achieved for the third time in a row on Saturday when ISRO said it had successfully put a spacecraft into lunar orbit.
Several maneuvers are planned for the Chandrayaan-3 mission spacecraft to reduce its orbit and land on the Moon.
During one such exercise, the spacecraft’s propulsion module will separate from the lander while in orbit and the lander is expected to land on the moon’s south polar region on August 23, applying stage brakes.
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The mission was launched by ISRO’s LVM-3 rocket on July 14 from India’s premier spaceport Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
The spacecraft, whose Sanskrit name is ‘Chand Ghadi’, is on a journey that is expected to take a little more than a month before landing on the moon.
“Throughout the mission, the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) Mission Operations Complex (MOX), Indian Deep Space, located near Bengaluru,” says ISRO. The status of the spacecraft is being continuously monitored with the help of ESA and JLP Deep Space antennas from the Network (IDS) antenna.
If the soft landing succeeds, India will become the first country to land a spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole and the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the Moon after the United States, the former Soviet Union and China.
Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission four years after ISRO’s first failed attempt to land a rover on the lunar surface in 2019.
The next step for Chandrayaan-3 is to further reduce the spacecraft’s orbit, which is scheduled for August 9.
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**Interview with Dr. Anjali Kumar, Space Scientist at ISRO**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Kumar! We are excited about the recent developments in India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission. Can you tell us a bit about the significance of the first images received from the moon?
**Dr. Kumar:** Thank you for having me! The first images captured by Chandrayaan-3 are indeed significant as they represent a major milestone in our lunar exploration journey. These images not only showcase the details of the moon’s surface but also demonstrate the technical capabilities of our spacecraft as it orbits the moon. It’s a moment of pride for ISRO and for every Indian.
**Editor:** It’s great to hear that! The spacecraft has successfully entered lunar orbit. Could you elaborate on the maneuvers that are planned to prepare for the landing on August 23?
**Dr. Kumar:** Absolutely! After entering lunar orbit, the spacecraft will undergo a series of carefully planned maneuvers. These maneuvers will gradually reduce the orbit of the spacecraft, allowing us to position it for a safe landing. At a certain point, the propulsion module will separate from the lander, enabling us to initiate the landing sequence specifically in the south polar region of the moon. Each step is crucial to ensure a smooth descent.
**Editor:** That sounds intricate! What are some of the scientific goals that ISRO hopes to achieve with the Chandrayaan-3 mission?
**Dr. Kumar:** The primary scientific goals of this mission include studying the lunar surface’s mineral composition, mapping the distribution of elements, and searching for water ice in permanently shadowed regions. Understanding these components will not only enhance our knowledge of the moon but will also support future lunar exploration missions and potential human habitation.
**Editor:** Those goals align well with the global interest in lunar research. Is there anything unusual or unexpected that the mission team has encountered so far?
**Dr. Kumar:** So far, the mission has gone according to plan. However, exploring the moon is always full of surprises; we remain vigilant to adapt as necessary. Each orbit allows us to gather more data, and as we approach the landing date, we will continuously analyze the information to optimize our approach.
**Editor:** Thank you for providing such insightful information, Dr. Kumar. We can’t wait to see what the Chandrayaan-3 mission brings us in the coming weeks!
**Dr. Kumar:** Thank you! We appreciate the support and interest from everyone, and we look forward to sharing exciting discoveries from the mission soon.
