BENGALURU: The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is now orbiting the moon in an elliptical orbit of 179 km X 1,142 km.
This was achieved after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists conducted the third lunar bound orbit manoeuvre for the orbiter on Wednesday beginning at 9.04 am, using the orbiter’s onboard propulsion system.
The duration of the manoeuvre was 1,190 seconds.
ISRO scientists said all functions of the Rs 978 crore Chandrayaan-2 mission, besides the mission’s spacecraft parameters, were normal.
The space scientists said this is part of the orbit-lowering manoeuvres to ultimately achieve a 100 km X 100 km orbit of the right moon from its pole to pole before the Chandrayaan-2’s lander, named Vikram, separates from the orbiter on September 2.
After that ISRO will undertake manoeuvres on the lander to position it for a perfect landing near the lunar south pole on September 7.
Second Lunar bound orbit manoeuvre for Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was performed on August 21 to lower the orbiter’s 118 km x 4412 km.
The next Lunar bound orbit manoeuvre is scheduled on August 30 between 6 pm and 7 pm.