DOT Desk: India’s spacecraft carrying the country’s third unmanned mission to the moon began its journey towards its destination today after it exited Earth’s orbit and entered the lunar orbit, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.The ISRO injected the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, launched on July 14, into the translunar orbit,reports The Daily Star.
The ISRO had earlier said it would attempt soft landing of the lander inside the spacecraft on the surface of the moon on August 23.”Chandrayaan-3 has completed its orbits around the earth and is heading towards the moon,” the Indian space agency tweeted, reports our New Delhi correspondent.”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,” ISRO added.The spacecraft’s orbit was earlier progressively increased five times after the Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched.
India’s previous unmanned moon mission failed to achieve its main objective as the lander had crash-landed on the lunar surface in 2019.