For its final trick, Chandrayaan-3 brings its propulsion module to Earth orbit

On August 23, ISRO’s Vikram lander indifferent from its propulsion module and made a comfortable touchdown close to the moon’s south pole area. The lander then deployed its Pragyan rover, and for 2 weeks the endearing little solar-powered rover carried out marvelously, detecting water ice and characterizing the make-up of the lunar regolith earlier than succumbing to the darkness and chilly of the lunar evening.

However for the reason that rover mission ended, the propulsion module that introduced it to the moon has made a detour, performing a collection of advanced maneuvers that took it from a decent lunar orbit again to Earth orbit. This was attainable as a result of the module nonetheless had greater than 100 kg of gas, permitting scientists to conduct extra maneuvers and experiments.

Proper now, the propulsion module (PM) is orbiting Earth at an altitude of 115,000 km (71,500 miles), effectively above geostationary orbit. ISRO stated the mission group determined to make use of the accessible gas within the propulsion module to derive extra data for future lunar missions. Extra particularly, this demonstration gave them the prospect to check mission operation methods for a future pattern return mission.

The PM has had a busy and productive mission. Whereas in lunar orbit for a couple of month, it wasn’t simply taking it straightforward. After the separation of the lander, the PM operated an on-board experiment, the Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload, designed to watch the Earth. Particularly, this instrument additionally supplied scientists and engineers expertise for future missions and analysis as its function was to review liveable planet-like options of Earth. These observations will probably be utilized by ISRO for future research of exoplanets. Moreover, there was a particular operation of the SHAPE payload on October 28, 2023 in the course of the solar eclipse.

However as a result of the spacecraft had such a exact orbit injection and optimum burn maneuvers, the quantity of leftover gas meant the engineers may do much more with the PM than initially anticipated. The PM was commanded to execute an orbit-raising maneuver on the moon after which carry out a Trans-Earth injection burn, which positioned the PM in an Earth-bound orbit.

ISRO stated the primary orbit elevating maneuver on the moon was carried out on October 9, 2023, to lift apolune altitude to five,112 km from 150 km. The Trans-Earth injection (TEI) maneuver was carried out on October 13, 2023, and as its orbit was slowly raised, the PM made 4 moon flybys earlier than departing moon on November 10.

At the moment, propulsion module is orbiting Earth with an orbital interval of practically 13 days, at 27 levels inclination. Due to this excessive orbit, ISRO stated there is no such thing as a menace of shut strategy with any operational Earth orbiting satellites.

ISRO stated these further operations allowed them to plan and execute trajectory maneuvers to return from moon to Earth, in addition to develop software program to plan and validate the maneuvers. Additionally they deliberate and executed a gravity assisted flyby between two celestial bodies and, most notably they prevented an uncontrolled crash into the moon’s floor on the finish of the lifetime of PM, which met the necessities of making no particles on the moon.

Will its present excessive geostationary orbit be the Chandrayaan-3 PM’s closing trick? Who is aware of? The resourceful engineers may determine one other strategy to make use of this multi-purpose spacecraft.