Syllabus: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
Why in NEWS
The Indian Space Research Organisation on Wednesday carried out another orbit reduction manoeuvre of India’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3.
The ISRO start
- Even closer to the moon’s surface. Chandrayaan-3’s orbit is reduced to 174 km x 1437 km following a manoeuvre performed today.
- The next operation is scheduled for August 14, 2023, between 11.30 and 12.30 hrs. IST.
- The fifth and final orbit reduction manoeuvre will be carried out on August 16.
August 5
- As the mission progresses, a series of manoeuvres have been planned to gradually reduce Chandrayaan-3’s orbit and position it over the lunar poles.
- After some manoeuvres, the propulsion module will separate from the lander while in orbit.
- A series of complex braking manoeuvres will be executed to facilitate a soft landing on the south polar region of the moon on August 23, 2023.”
The Indo-Japanese Lunar Polar Exploration mission
- It was envisaged to explore the ‘dark side of the moon’, or in scientific terms, the side that is perpetually facing away from Earth.
- The main objective of the mission is to confirm the presence of water in the polar regions of the moon.
- The mission may be launched in the next couple of years.