Chandrayaan-2 completes fifth and final lunar bound orbit

India's spacecraft Chandrayaan 2 was launched into space by India's heavy-lift rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III

On Sunday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that Chandrayaan 2 has successfully completed the fifth and final lunar bound orbit change. Interestingly, Chandrayaan 2 is now much closer to the moon than before. As per ISROs latest report, the spacecraft began its fifth and final orbit lunar bound at 6.21 pm by using its onboard propulsion system for 52 seconds.

The orbit achieved is 119 km x 127 km. ISRO's report states that all parameters on the spacecraft Chandrayaan 2 are normal. Now, the next crucial operation for Chandrayaan 2 is the separation of Vikram, the lander which is scheduled to take place on September 2 between 12.45 to 1.45 pm.

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Once the lander Vikram separates itself from the spacecraft, there will be two de-orbital operations on September 3 and 4 so that it could soft-land on the moon's south pole on September 7 at 1.30 to 2.30 am. India's spacecraft Chandrayaan 2 was launched into space by India's heavy-lift rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV Mk III) in a textbook style on July 22.

The cost f Chandrayaan 2 is a whopping Rs 978 crore. Chandrayaan 2 comprises of three segments - the Orbiter (weighing 2,379 kg, eight payloads), the lander 'Vikram' (1,471 kg, four payloads) and rover 'Pragyan' (27 kg, two payloads), reports news agency IANS.

Also Read: NASA, whole world will be watching landing of India's Chandrayaan 2 on moon: Former astronaut

With inputs from IANS

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