Round and round the planetoid! Chandrayaan-2's Vikram Lander successfully completes first de-orbiting manoeuvre

New Delhi, September 03: After getting way far closer to the orb of night, executing the fifth and the final orbit manoeuvre to refine its circular path around the moon, the first de-orbiting manoeuvre for Vikram Lander of Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was performed successfully on Tuesday.

 

"The manoeuvre began at 8.50 am (IST) as planned, using the onboard propulsion system. The total duration was four seconds. The orbit of Vikram Lander is 104 km x 128 km", informed ISRO in the statement released.

 

 

"Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter continues to orbit the Moon in the existing orbit and both the Orbiter and Lander are healthy. The next de-orbiting manoeuvre is scheduled for Wednesday between 3.30 and 4.30 am (IST)", it added.

 

The separation of the Vikram Lander from Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter took place on Monday at 13.15 pm. The Pragyan rover is a 6-wheeled and AI-powered vehicle. The name Pragyan translates to wisdom in Sanskrit. It has been integrated within the lander.

The health of the Orbiter and Lander is being monitored from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennas at Bylalu, near Bengaluru. All the systems of Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter and Lander are healthy.

 

Chandrayaan-2 managed to successfully enter the Moon’s orbit on the morning of August 20 and ISRO had later released a statement confirming the Lunar Orbit Insertion of Chandrayaan-2 at 9.02 am.

 

The success of this mission will make India only the fourth nation after the United States, China, and Russia to make a soft-landing on the lunar surface and the first nation to do so on the south pole of the lunar surface. The mission includes four components: a GSLV Mk-III, an orbiter, a lander; and the small rover.