Chandrayaan-2 close to moon after heart stopping 30 mins |
As scientists at Indian Space Research Organisation manoeuvred India`s lunar craft Chandrayaan-2 for the lunar orbit insertion on tuesday morning, many hearts skipped their beats. The manoeuvre in which engines were fired lasted for 28 minute after which the craft reached its destined orbit. Now the lunar craft is going around the Moon, and it will next be eased into a different, lowered orbit over the next 10 days, before a `soft-landing` on it is attempted on September 7. ISRO chairman K Sivan briefed the media after the Lunar Orbit Insertion, “No other mission has landed on the South Pole. They have all landed nearer the Equator of the Moon. But the unique requirement for a landing at the South Pole is that we need to achieve an orbit with an inclination of 90 degrees.” There will be four more lunar burns — the first one by Wednesday, the next three on August 28, 30 and September 1. He added, “The next major event is on September 2 when we will look at separating the lander from the orbiter. Till now, all the operations are carried out by the propulsion system of the orbiter. From September, it will be carried out entirely on the lander. On September 7, we will start a powered descent on the lander to the Moon`s surface at 1.40am.”
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