New Delhi: Chandrayaan-3 has completed its orbits around the earth and now heading towards the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation said, as quoted by PTI. The Indian space agency on Tuesday injected the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into the translunar orbit after successfully performing the perigee-firing at ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network). "Chandrayaan-3 has completed its orbits around the earth and is heading towards the moon,” the national space agency said, as quoted by PTI. ISRO added that the next stop of the spacecraft is the 'moon'. The Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) is planned for August 5.


"A successful perigee-firing performed at ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network). ISRO has injected the spacecraft into the translunar orbit,” it said.


"Next stop: the moon. As it arrives at the moon, the Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) is planned for August 5, 2023," it added.


An ISRO official told PTI that after the trans-lunar injection (TLI), the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft escaped earth's orbit and is now following a path that would take it to the vicinity of the Moon. In simple terms, the spacecraft began its journey towards the Moon on Tuesday.


ISRO is looking forward to attempting a soft landing of the lander on the lunar surface on August 23.


Earlier on Tuesday, July 18, Chandrayaan-3 attained its third Earth-bound orbit, as planned. Mission control at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru successfully performed the third orbit-raising manoeuvre earlier in the day. After the third Earth-bound manoeuvre, or perigee firing, Chandrayaan-3 attained an orbit whose size is 51400 × 228 square kilometres, ISRO said in a mission update. 


Earth-bound perigee firing refers to an orbit-raising manoeuvre performed by a spacecraft at Earth's perigee, or the farthest point in the orbit of the planet.


ALSO READ | Rocket Lift-Off Recorded From Plane Window Goes Viral After Chandrayaan-3 Launch


Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive