Category Archives: Chandrayaan-3

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 August 2023

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As Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3 Position for Moon South Pole Region Landings, Will USA Accelerate Moon Return?

India Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module in 113 x 157 km lunar orbit as ISRO controllers prepare for final deorbiting burn on 19 Aug, 20:30 UTC ahead of planned 23 Aug 12:17 UTC landing, while Propulsion Module performing spectroscopic observation of Earth from Moon orbit; Russia Luna-25 in 100-km lunar orbit following 243 and 76-sec maneuvers on route and a 40-sec orbital correction with landing NET 21 Aug planned; USA commercial lunar landers working under NASA CLPS contracts may launch soon; Intuitive Machines targeting 15 Nov launch of Nova-C / IM-1 mission, followed by IM-2 and IM-3 asap; Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One may still launch in 2023

 

Tuesday / 15 Aug 2023

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India and Russia Reaching Final Stretch Before Landings in South Polar Region

ISRO Chandrayaan-3 now in 150 x 177 km orbit around Moon with next orbital reduction / circularization maneuver planned to retrofire on 16 Aug at ~08:30 IST ahead of expected 23 Aug 12:17 UTC landing at South Polar Region (69.368°S, 32.348°E) roughly 120 km west of Roscosmos Luna-25 prime landing site at 69.545°S, 43.544°E; Luna-25 operating nominally with stable comms and power following 13 Aug instrument / telemetry check and Earth / Moon imaging, activation of ADRON-LR cosmic radiation detector and final orbit correction maneuver 14 Aug; LOI to occur 16 Aug, while landing may happen on 21 Aug

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 August 2023

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As World Space Powers Converge on Moon, USA May Find Inspiration to Resume Lunar Exploration Promptly

While China continues to operate Chang’E-3 from IAU-designated landing site Guang Han Gong and Chang’E-4 in South Pole–Aitken basin; India and Russia on way to Moon South Pole region (~70°S) with Chandrayaan-3 & Luna-25 landers; USA works toward first soft landing in 50+ years (Apollo 17) via private CLPS providers; Astrobotic awaiting Vulcan Centaur readiness, which ULA CEO says is on track for Q4 2023 launch – Peregrine to fly solo, as Project Kuiper opts to for proven Atlas V; Intuitive Machines preparing IM-1,2,3 and holding Q2 earnings call on 14 Aug

Friday / 11 Aug 2023

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Russia Luna-25 on Route to Moon South Pole

The first Russia lunar lander mission in 47 years has begun 5-day lunar transfer following Soyuz 2.1b launch / TLI firing powered by Fregat-M upper stage; Prime landing site planned near Boguslawsky crater (69.545°S, 43.544°E) expected to be reached between 20-22 Aug (UTC), perhaps arriving slightly before ISRO Chandrayaan-3, currently in 174 km x 1437 km lunar orbit, to MSP region; With China operating for ~10 years on Moon and Russia and India on the way, NASA CLPS landers race to resume USA activity on lunar surface

Tuesday / 8 Aug 2023

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Chandrayaan-3 Tightening Orbit Around Moon Ahead of Landing Attempt as Luna-25 and SLIM Launches Approach

ISRO Moon lander Chandrayaan-3 now in an elliptical 170 km x 4313 km lunar orbit as ISTRAC controllers at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) in Bengaluru prepare to execute orbital reduction maneuver 2 of 5, planned for 9 Aug 13:00-14:00 IST (07:30-08:30 UTC) to bring craft into circular, polar 100-km orbit ahead of 23 August landing; Luna-25 rollout set for 8 Aug, with previously reported 10 Aug 2:10:57 MSK (23:10:57 UTC) launch now officially declared by Roscosmos; JAXA SLIM to follow 26 Aug 09:34:57 JST (00:34:57 UTC)

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 August 2023

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August Moon Landings by Russia, India, Launch by Japan, Raise Major Challenges for USA

As Roscosmos readies Luna-25 / Soyuz-2.1b rocket at Vostochny Cosmodrome for launch to Moon from Site 1S reportedly set for 11 Aug 2:10 MSK (backup launch 12 Aug 2:35 MSK, landing NET 20 Aug), ISRO preps for 5 Aug 19:00 IST lunar orbit insertion / 23 Aug landing of Chandrayaan-3, and JAXA planning SLIM lander launch via H-2A on 26 Aug 09:34 JST, 21st Century USA Moon landings remain unrealized; Impact on USA world standing and space leadership may be profound if CLPS robotic landers / Artemis human Moon return are further delayed

Tuesday / 1 Aug 2023

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Chandrayaan-3 on Course for Lunar Orbit Insertion Following Successful Trans Lunar Injection

ISRO lunar lander Chandrayaan-3 on 5-day cruise to lunar orbit, expected to arrive 5 Aug after set on its way with TLI maneuver firing at 1 Aug perigee (00:15 IST) commanded from ISRO ISTRAC facility in Bengaluru; India is set to become 4th nation to soft-land on Moon, and may become 1st to explore Moon South Pole region; Meanwhile origin of wreckage found near Jurien Bay, Western Australia affirmed by Australian Space Agency to be PSLV stage 3; ASA to store material for ISRO retrieval as obligations under the United Nations space treaties considered

Credits: ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28-31 July 2023

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India Chandrayaan-3 Successful TLI Will Propel Craft to Join USA, PRC, S Korea in Cislunar Space; Soon Followed by Russia, Japan

Rounding out July ‘International Space / Moon Month’ is TransLunar Injection (18:30-19:30 UTC 31 July / 00:00-01:00 IST 1 August) planned for Chandrayaan-3, setting it on course for lunar orbit, lander / propulsion-module separation 17 Aug, lunar touchdown 23 Aug; Luna-25 and SLIM landers may be on track for NET 10 Aug and 26 Aug respectively, while commercial Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines hope for 2023 launches; Continually operating are: landers CE-3 & CE-4, rover Yutu-2, and orbiters LRO, ARTEMIS P1 & P2, CE-4 Queqiao, Chandrayaan-2, CE-5-T1 Service Module, CAPSTONE & Danuri

Credits: NASA, CNSA, KARI, ISRO, Advanced Space

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 July 2023

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India, Russia and Japan Landers to Summer on Moon as USA Commercial Outfits Aim for Autumn / Winter

Chandrayaan-3 lander (449 kg dry) on track for 5th / final Earth orbit raising maneuver to be performed by ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network from Bengaluru 25 July between 14:00–15:00 IST, followed by lunar transfer 31 July and landing on lunar surface 23 August 17:47 IST; Roscosmos Luna-25 (800 kg) set for 11 Aug launch with Moon landing NET 20 Aug, being promoted with ‘Sonota’ mascot; JAXA SLIM (190 kg) to launch 26 Aug, demonstrate computer vision-based precision landing system; CLPS providers Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic preparing for Q4 launches

Credits: ISRO, Roscosmos, JAXA

Tuesday / 18 July 2023

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Chandrayaan-3 Operating Nominally as its Orbit is Raised in Preparation for Trans-Lunar Injection

ISRO is working to conduct next raising maneuver of Chandrayaan-3, which is currently maintaining 41,603 km x 226 km orbit; Apogee firing to occur 17 July between 14:00-15:00 IST will be 3rd of 5 such maneuvers prior to TLI, which is set for 31 July, followed by ~5.5-day transfer and Lunar Orbit Insertion around 5 Aug; Propulsion Module to maintain 100 x 100 km circular orbit while Vikram lander containing Pragyan rover to descend to MSP area surface from 100 x 30km lunar orbit

Credits: ISRO