Fifth and final lunar-bound orbit manoeuvre of Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft performed successfully: ISRO

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the fifth and final lunar-bound orbit manoeuvre of Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft on Sunday.

The manoeuvre was performed successfully today (September 1) beginning at 1821 hrs IST as planned, using the onboard propulsion system. The duration of the manoeuvre was 52 seconds. The orbit achieved is 119 km x 127 km, the space agency said in a statement.

All spacecraft parameters are normal, it said.

The next operation is the separation of Vikram Lander from Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, which is scheduled tomorrow between 1245 and 1345 hrs (IST).

"Following this, there will be two deorbit maneuvers of Vikram Lander to prepare for its landing in the south polar region of the moon," the statement said. The landing is scheduled for September 7.

The fourth lunar-bound orbit manoeuvre of the spacecraft was performed on August 30, third on August 28, second on August 21 and the first on August 20.

The spacecraft will be the first Indian expedition to carry out a soft landing on the lunar surface. This mission will make India the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to conduct a soft landing on the moon.

After revolving around the Earth's orbit for nearly 23 days, the craft began its journey to the moon on August 14.

The mission took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 22.