Sunita Williams celebrates 59th birthday, second in space
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams has celebrated her 59th birthday -- the second in space.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft’s fifth and final manoeuvre to raise its Earth-bound orbit was successfully completed, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).
The spaceship is propelled further from Earth by this important accomplishment, which also prepares the path for the upcoming TransLunar Injection (TLI).
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Isro said that the spacecraft is anticipated to reach an orbit of 1,27,609 km x 236 km after the manoeuvre. A confirmation of the obtained orbit will come from additional measurements.
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This development follows the fourth orbit-raising manoeuvre, which was carried out successfully last week.
India’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, is steadily advancing towards its objective. The TLI, the next significant stage in this journey, is slated on August 1, 2023, between 12 and 1 IST. The spacecraft will be launched towards the Moon by this manoeuvre, starting its trip there.
Chandrayaan-3, which was launched on July 14 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, has been its route to a higher orbit and a greater separation from Earth.
The spacecraft has been successfully positioned for lunar insertion thanks to these actions.
Chandrayaan-3 is made up of three modules: propulsion, lander, and rover, as opposed to Chandrayaan-2, which also carried an orbiter in addition to Vikram and Pragyan (the rover).
The spacecraft weights 3,900 kg total, of which 1,752 kg is the lander module with the rover and 2,148 kg is the propulsion module.
By the end of August, Chandrayaan-3 should arrive at the Moon and begin a series of manoeuvres before attempting a soft landing there.
The mission aims to land in the Moon’s South Pole area, where water is expected. If successful, India will join the elite group of nations – the United States, Russia, and China – that have achieved this feat.
Chandrayaan-3 continues its voyage as the world watches keenly, putting India one step closer to leaving its mark on the lunar surface.
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