India’s latest moon lander has established communication links with the Chandrayaan-2 mission’s orbiter, which has been circling the moon since 2019, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
“Welcome, buddy!” said the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter to the lander that was carried by the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft this year.
“Two-way communication between the two is established,” ISRO tweeted on Monday.
The space agency also revealed that the Mission Operations Complex now has more communication routes with the lander, and the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter will serve as a backup communication channel for ISRO.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft consists of a propulsion module (weighing 2,148 kg), a lander (1,723.89 kg), and a rover (26 kg).
Recently, the lander module separated from the propulsion module, and the latter is also orbiting the moon at an altitude of 25 km x 134 km.
The systems of the propulsion module are being checked and will await sunrise at the designated landing site. The powered descent is scheduled to commence on August 23, 2023, around 1745 Hrs. IST, as confirmed by ISRO.
The lander carries the rover inside it, and once it lands on the moon, the rover is expected to roll down and perform scientific experiments as assigned.
The primary communication channel will be ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network's (ISTRAC) Mission Operations Complex in Bengaluru, communicating with Chandrayaan-3's Propulsion Module, which will then relay communication to the lander and rover.
ISRO predicts the lander will touch down near the South Pole of the moon on August 23, 2023, around 6.04 p.m.
The lander will descend to the moon from a height of approximately 100 km from the moon's surface.
The key objective of India’s third moon mission, with a budget of around Rs 600 crore, is to achieve a soft landing on the moon.
Chandrayaan-2's mission had faltered when its lander, named 'Vikram,' crashed onto the moon's surface.
Achieving a soft landing is complex, involving a sequence of intricate maneuvers including rough and fine braking.
Prior to landing, the landing site region will be imaged to identify safe and hazard-free zones.
Following the soft landing, the six-wheeled rover will roll out and conduct experiments on the lunar surface for one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days.
Meanwhile, the propulsion module will continue to orbit the moon, with its payload Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planetary Earth (SHAPE) carrying out its functions.
Chandrayaan-3 was successfully placed into orbit on July 14 by India's heavy-lift rocket LVM3.
After completing its orbit around Earth, the spacecraft began its journey towards the moon on August 1.
On that day, a successful perigee-firing conducted at ISTRAC allowed ISRO to place the spacecraft into a translunar orbit.
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The above article has been published from a wire source with minimal modifications to the headline and text.
