Space

India’s Chandrayaan-2 is 2 weeks away from its moon landing

Cylindrical spacecraft with square detachable lander at one end and solar panel.
Artist’s concept of India’s lunar spacecraft, Chandrayaan-2.

On August 20, 2019, a 29-minute-long Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) successfully placed Chandrayaan-2 into an orbit around the moon. The LOI was an important step forward in the mission because it decreased the spacecraft’s speed from 5,368 miles per hour (2.4 km per second) to 4,697 miles per hour (2.1 km per second). If the spacecraft had not slowed to that speed, its trajectory would have flung it away from the Earth-moon system. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the update on Twitter:

ISRO is now decreasing the spacecraft’s orbit using the onboard propulsion system until it reaches 62 miles (100 km) above the moon’s surface. A second such maneuver was performed on August 21, 2019, to shorten the spacecraft’s current elliptical orbit to a circular one. According to a statement from ISRO:

Second lunar bound orbit maneuver for Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was performed successfully today (August 21, 2019) beginning at 1250 hrs IST [07:20 UTC] as planned, using the onboard propulsion system. The duration of the maneuver was 1228 seconds. The orbit achieved is 118 km x 4412 km [73 x 2,741 miles]. All spacecraft parameters are normal.

The next lunar-bound orbit maneuver is scheduled on August 28, 2019, between 0530-0630 hrs IST.

Chandrayaan-2 is scheduled to enter its final circular orbit around the moon on September 1, 2019. This orbit will pass over the lunar poles, one of which will be the landing site for Vikram – Chandrayaan-2’s lander that aims to soft-land on the moon’s south pole. The orbiter will orbit at a 62 miles (100 km) distance from the moon’s surface for a period of one year, making a pass over both of the moon’s poles with each revolution.

Here is the first image of the moon captured by Chandrayaan-2 on August 21, 2019, using its LI4 camera:

Closeup view of the moon by Chandrayaan-2.
The moon as viewed by Chandrayaan-2 on August 21, 2019. This image was taken at a height of 1646 miles (2650 km) above the lunar surface. The dark patch at the top is the Mare Orientale basin, theorized to have formed due to the impact of an asteroid-sized object. Also seen is the double-ringed Apollo crater towards the left. Image via ISRO.

Key dates:

September 1, 2019: Fifth and final lunar bound maneuver after which an orbit of 70 to 80 miles (114 to 128 km) is expected to be achieved.

September 2, 2019: The lander Vikram along with the rover Pragyan will separate from the orbiter and begin its powered descent towards the moon’s surface. Complex braking mechanisms will be in place to ensure a soft landing.

September 7, 2019: Vikram will soft-land on the lunar south pole. A few hours later, Pragyan will roll out to perform in-situ experiments for one lunar day (14 Earth days).

Follow the Chandrayaan-2 mission on Facebook and Twitter.

Bottom line: Chandrayaan-2 is slowing down for its final orbit around the moon, staying true to the landing date of September 7, 2019.

Via ISRO

Posted 
August 25, 2019
 in 
Space

Like what you read?
Subscribe and receive daily news delivered to your inbox.

Your email address will only be used for EarthSky content. Privacy Policy
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

More from 

Sharmila Kuthunur

View All