On Thursday, the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s fourth orbit-raising manoeuvre (earth-bound perigee firing) was successfully carried out by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Chandrayaan-3 completes its 4th orbit raising manoeuvre - Asiana Times

Image Credits: ISRO Twitter

ISRO took to Twitter and tweeted, “India celebrates #InternationalMoonDay 2024 by propelling Chandrayaan-3 a step closer to the Moon. The fourth orbit-raising manoeuvre (Earth-bound perigee firing) is performed successfully from ISTRAC/ISRO, Bengaluru. The next firing is planned for July 25, 2024, between 2 and 3 pm IST.”

Chandrayaan 3 is the third lunar mission undertaken by India, following the successful Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 missions. Launched with the aim of further advancing our understanding of the Moon, Chandrayaan 3 is a significant step in India’s ambitious space exploration journey. It is expected to make a soft landing on the surface of the Moon next month.

The spacecraft is expected to carry out five of these orbit-raising manoeuvres to gradually ascend into higher orbits before directing its motion directly toward the moon. As soon as it reaches the lunar surface, it will perform similar exercises in an attempt to gradually lower and lower its orbit around the moon till eventually, it will reach a circular orbit about 100 km away from the surface of the moon. In fact, it will be from this circular orbit that the final descent to the surface of the Moon will take place on August 23 or 24.

In order to optimise the entire journey of Chandrayaan-3, the spacecraft is taking a smaller, more direct route to the Moon than it would have otherwise taken in order to save money. In order to leave space and go on a direct trip to the Moon, which would take about four days, much heavier rockets would be required, as well as a lot of fuel, to leave the space. Instead of being launched into an orbit far away from Earth, Chandrayaan-3 was taken into a near-Earth orbit, where it was able to gain momentum solely by utilizing gravity and then firing thrusters to reach a higher orbit by utilizing the force of gravity.

As a result of this process, a lesser amount of fuel is burned in order to reach the Moon, but this process takes a longer time.

India’s Journey to Lunar Exploration-

India’s tryst with lunar exploration began with the launch of Chandrayaan 1 in 2008, which made groundbreaking discoveries such as the presence of water molecules on the Moon’s surface. Chandrayaan 2, launched in 2019, had the ambitious goal of exploring the lunar south pole region but faced challenges during its landing phase.

Chandrayaan-3’s Unique Features-

Chandrayaan 3 is a smart lunar mission since it is outfitted with cutting-edge tools and equipment. Based on the lessons gained from Chandrayaan 2, its enhanced landing mechanism and navigational capabilities have been adjusted.

Chandrayaan-3’s research findings are expected to contribute significantly to lunar science. The data collected during the mission will deepen our understanding of the Moon’s history and evolution.

Chandrayaan 3’s successful completion of the fourth orbit-raising manoeuvre marks a significant achievement in India’s space exploration journey. The mission’s objectives, coupled with the dedicated efforts of the ISRO team, hold promise for groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in lunar science. As India continues to make strides in space exploration, it strengthens its position as a key player in the global space community.