Chandrayaan-2 successfully enters into lunar orbit

The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, has successfully manoeuvred Chandrayaan-2 satellite into lunar orbit today at 0902 hours using the on-board propulsion system.

A press release issued by the space agency says that the satellite is placed in 114 Kilometres-by-18072 Kilometres orbit and the duration of manoeuvre was 1738 seconds.

Following this a series of four-orbit manoeuvres will be performed, including the one tomorrow, to reach an orbit of 100 Kilometres over the surface of the moon. The lander and rover within it will separate from the Orbiter at this stage and soft-land on the South Pole of the moon on 7th of September.

ISRO has achieved a milestone today by precisely placing the spacecraft around moon by maintaining precise altitude, velocity and time of the burn. Moon is 3.84 lakh Kilometres away from Earth.

Success in soft landing the lander Vikram on the lunar surface will make India the fourth country after Russia, US and China to land on moon.

After the successful lunar orbit ion of Chandrayaan-2 , ISRO Chairman Dr.K Sivan informed that the plan is to touch down on the surface of the moon in south pole at 1.55 am on 7th September.

Addressing media persons in Bengaluru today, he said, the lander Vikram will be separated from the orbiter on 2nd September and on 4th September the lander will reach nearest to the surface of the moon at 35 Kilometres.

After three days, the descending will begin on the surface of the moon on 7th of September at 1.40 a.m. and by 4.00 a.m. the Rover Pragyan will roll down the ramp of lander and touch the surface of the moon.

AIR correspondent reports that ISRO Chairman Dr.K Sivan said that it is for the first time by any country that an attempt is being made to land at the south pole.

All other missions had landed near the equator of the moon. To land at the south pole, he said, the lander has to achieve a precise 90 degree inclination and velocity.   He further added that the mission data generated by the payloads on Chandrayaan-2 will help provide inputs for the future missions to moon.

Saying that NASA has announced its next manned mission to moon, Dr.Sivan informed that for any habitation on moon near south pole, the data generated by Chandrayaan-2 will be valuable. (AIR NEWS)

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