New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday shared the first image of the moon as captured by the Lander Position Detection Camera (LPDC) as part of its Chandrayaan-3 mission.
The lander also underwent a deboost operation, a process of slowing down, to land in an orbit. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, ISRO posted, "The Lander Module (LM) health is normal. LM successfully underwent a deboosting operation that reduced its orbit to 113 km x 157 km. The second deboosting operation is scheduled for August 20, 2023, around 0200 Hrs. IST"
According to reports, the Lander Module carrying the rover, on Thursday successfully separated from the Propulsion Module to be on course for a soft-landing on the moon's south pole planned on August 23.
Taking to X, ISRO wrote on Thursday, “Thanks for the ride, mate! said the Lander Module (LM). LM is successfully separated from the Propulsion Module (PM). LM is set to descend to a slightly lower orbit upon a deboosting planned for tomorrow around 1600 Hrs IST.”
An ISRO official had earlier said the lander was to undergo a deboost, where the Perilune (the orbit's closest point to the moon) is 30 km and Apolune (farthest point from the moon) is 100 km. The soft landing on the moon’s south pole will be attempted from this region, ISRO said, as reported by news agency PTI.
"Now really the match starts. These are the final overs we are talking about," Chandrayaan-I Project Director M Annadurai told PTI.
It is to be noted that if the Chandrayaan-3 mission succeeds in landing the lunar rover, in ISRO's second attempt in four years, India will become the fourth country to have succeeded in soft-landing on the lunar surface after the US, China and the former Soviet Union.
Notably, Chandrayaan-2 had failed in its lunar phase when the 'Vikram' lander crashed into the surface of the moon after anomalies in the braking system while attempting a soft landing on September 7, 2019. Chandrayaan's first mission was in 2008.