Delhi, 5 December: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a groundbreaking feat by successfully bringing back the Propulsion Module (PM) of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft from its initial lunar orbit to an orbit around Earth.
This accomplishment was made possible after surpassing the mission objectives of the lunar operation, including the successful hop experiment by the Vikram Lander.
This achievement showcases ISRO’s capabilities in restarting engines on the moon and operating equipment, which were not originally planned for the mission.
The PM was initially intended to transport the Lander module from GTO to the final lunar polar circular orbit, but it was also used to conduct spectro-polarimetry experiments with the HABITABLE Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload. While the PM was initially planned to operate for three months, ISRO decided to utilize its remaining fuel to gather additional information for future lunar missions.
The spacecraft, launched on July 14, 2023, made its landing on the moon’s surface on Aug 23 and was deployed to survey the unexplored lunar south pole. This remarkable achievement further solidifies India’s position in space exploration and paves the way for future advancements in lunar missions.
On October 9, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully performed its first maneuver to raise the apolune altitude of its spacecraft to 5112 km from 150 km. This resulted in a significant increase in the period of orbit, from 2.1 hours to 7.2 hours. After carefully considering the available propellant, the second maneuver plan was revised to target an Earth orbit of 1.8 lakhs x 3.8 lakhs km.
The Trans-Earth Injection (TEI) maneuver was then executed on October 13, 2023. Following this maneuver, the propulsion module of the spacecraft made four fly-bys of the Moon before finally departing its sphere of influence (SOI) on November 10. This complex and precise series of maneuvers demonstrate the technological capability and expertise of ISRO in space missions.
These maneuvers were crucial in achieving the desired orbit and positioning the spacecraft for its further journey, showcasing India’s growing presence and achievements in space exploration.
