Chandrayaan 2: ISRO’s spacecraft on its way to Moon, enters Lunar Transfer Trajectory

Chandrayaan 2 update: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), successfully transferred its Moon-bound spacecraft on a path towards Earth’s natural satellite’s orbit. In a critical maneuver, ISRO on Wednesday transferred the Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft to Lunar Transfer Trajectory. In a process known as ‘trans-lunar injection’, ISRO finally placed its spacecraft out of the Earth’s orbit. The final orbit raising maneuver of Chandrayaan 2 was successfully carried out in the early hours on Wednesday. ISRO informed that at 02:21 AM IST on Wednesday, final orbit raising maneuver of Chandrayaan 2 was successfully carried out. The liquid engine of Chandrayaan 2 was fired for about 1203 seconds to inject the spacecraft into the Lunar Transfer Trajectory. ISRO had already performed five Earth-bound orbit-raising maneuver from July 23 to August 6.

Talking about the condition of the spacecraft ISRO informed that “The health of the spacecraft is being continuously monitored from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru and with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennas at Byalalu, near Bengaluru.”

All the systems of the Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft are performing normally, the agency informed. ISRO launched Chandrayaan 2 on July 22, 2019, using GSLV MkIII-M1 space vehicle. The Moon-bound spacecraft of ISRO will approach it on August 20, following which the liquid engines on-board the Chandrayaan 2 will be fired again for its Lunar capture. After this maneuver Chandrayaan, 2 will enter into a lunar orbit.

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The spacecraft will go through four orbital maneuvers in the lunar orbit. This will make the spacecraft enter into its final lunar orbit passing over the poles of the Moon at a distance of 100 km from the Moon’s surface.

Here is a list issued by ISRO with the details of further operations to be performed by spacecraft:

The Vikram lander will separate from the Orbiter on September 2 and undergo two orbital maneuvres before the initiation of powered descent is done to make a soft landing on the Moon’s surface on September 7.