Chandrayaan-3 captures stunning views ahead of historic Moon landing
BENGALURU:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released stunning close-up footage of the Moon, offering an intimate view of its rugged surface. The imagery was captured on August 15 by the Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC) aboard the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which is on the cusp of an eagerly anticipated historic landing on the lunar surface scheduled for August 23.
Another view of the Moon shared by the agency shows the surface features in stunning detail. The view was taken by the Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1 on August 17, 2023, following the successful separation of Chandrayaan-3’s key modules.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission represents a significant leap forward in India’s lunar exploration efforts. Building upon the successes of its predecessors, Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2, this mission aims to achieve a soft landing near the Moon’s South Pole and explore its terrain to enhance our understanding of the lunar composition, origin, and geological history.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) August 18, 2023
View from the Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1
on August 17, 2023
just after the separation of the Lander Module from the Propulsion Module #Chandrayaan_3 #Ch3 pic.twitter.com/abPIyEn1Ad
Chandrayaan-3 began its journey to the Moon on July 14, 2023, and entered into the lunar orbit on August 5. The mission consists of:
- Lander module (LM) – to demonstrate soft landing at a specified lunar site and carry out experiments on the lunar surface.
- Propulsion module (PM) – to carry the LM from launch vehicle injection till the final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit
- Rover – to carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface
On August 17, the Lander Module separated from the Propulsion Module – marking a significant milestone in the mission. As the Lander Module proceeds with its planned manoeuvres, anticipation grows for its landing and the rover’s deployment on the lunar surface. Meanwhile, the propulsion module will continue its journey in the current orbit for months or years to complete its other objectives. PTI
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