Chandrayaan-3 nears lunar orbit, ISRO announces soft landing attempt on August 23

ISRO announced that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, launched on July 14, has completed about two-thirds of its journey to the moon.

In a report over the past three weeks, ISRO has made five orbital adjustments, gradually placing the spacecraft further away from Earth. A landmark maneuver on August 1, known as the "slingshot pull," effectively redirected the craft from Earth orbit toward the Moon.

After the translunar injection, Chandrayaan-3 was released from its orbit around the Earth and began following a trajectory that would take it close to the Moon. 

"Tomorrow, in another key maneuver, the spacecraft will be injected into lunar orbit." Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) is scheduled for August 5 at around 7 pm,” the Bengaluru-based national space agency said on Friday. The maneuver will be carried out when Chandrayaan-3 is at its closest point to the moon (perilune), ISRO said.

According to a statement by the space agency, India's third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 is in good health and plans to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23.

Chandrayaan-3 is expected to take approximately 33 days from launch to reach lunar orbit. After landing on the lunar surface, it will operate for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 Earth days.

The spacecraft is equipped with various electronic and mechanical subsystems to ensure a safe and gentle landing, including navigation sensors, propulsion systems, guidance and control mechanisms, and more. In addition, it contains rover release mechanisms, two-way communication antennas, and other onboard electronics.