In a significant journey towards the Moon, the Chandrayaan 3 mission by ISRO has assumed a near circular orbit. The spacecraft that was moving around the moon in an elliptical orbit of 174 kms into 1437 kms was moved closer to the Moon by retrofiring onboard engines last night to take a near circular orbit of 151 kms into 179 kms. 

ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network in Bengaluru will take up the next orbit reduction manoeuvre on 16th August 2023 at around 08:30. Afterwards, the spacecraft will enter a lunar circular orbit of 100 kms into 100 kms. ISRO aims to land Chandrayaan 3 lander softly on the surface of the Moon on August 23rd in the south pole. 

India will become the fourth nation to land its payload on the Moon. Russia’s Luna 25 spacecraft launched on August 11 is also heading towards the Moon and expected to land on the Lunar south pole on August 21st. The country whose spacecraft lands first on the Lunar south pole will become the first country to achieve this milestone.