Vikram Lander Separates Successfully from Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter

After final lunar orbit manoeuvre, ISRO readies for separation.

Vikram (with rover ‘Pragyan’ housed inside) is expected to touch down on the lunar surface on 7 September, between 1:30 am and 2:30 am.

(Photo: ISRO)

India’s second moon mission, the Chandrayaan-2, on Monday, 2 September separated its ‘Vikram’ lander from the rest of the module. The lander is set to land on the south pole of the moon on Saturday, 7 September.

The lander separated from the Orbiter at exactly 13:15 pm. The lander, according to the Space Agency, is currently at an Orbit of 119 km x 127 km. The Orbiter, according to the space agency, continues to orbit the Moon in its existing orbit.

ISRO said that the health of the Orbiter and Lander is being monitored from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennas at Bylalu, near Bengaluru.

“All the systems of Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter and Lander are healthy.”

ISRO Statement

ISRO said that after the lander's separation, two de-orbit manoeuvres are scheduled for 3 September (9:00-10:00) and 4 September (3:00-4:00) respectively, before the powered decent on 7 September.

Chandrayaan-2 had, on Sunday 1 September, performed its final Orbit raising maneuver at exactly 18:21 pm (IST).

“The final and fifth Lunar bound orbit manoeuvre for Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was performed successfully beginning at 1821 hrs IST, 1 September, as per the plan, using the onboard propulsion system. The duration of the manoeuvre was 52 seconds. The orbit achieved is 119 km x 127 km.”

ISRO

(Photo: The Quint)

It said that the next operation is the separation of lander 'Vikram' from Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, which is scheduled on 2 September 2019, between 12:45 hrs and 13:45 hrs (IST). Following this, there would be two deorbit manoeuvres of lander 'Vikram' to prepare for its landing in the south polar region of the moon. Vikram (with rover 'Pragyan' housed inside) is expected to touch down on the lunar surface on 7 September, between 1:30 am and 2:30 am.

ISRO Chairman K Sivan has said the proposed soft-landing on the Moon would be a “terrifying” moment as it is something ISRO has not done before, whereas the Lunar Orbit Insertion manoeuvre was successfully carried out during the Chandrayaan-1 mission. 

In a major milestone for India's second Moon mission, the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft had successfully entered the lunar orbit on 20 August by performing the LOI maneuver. Chandrayaan-2 satellite began its journey towards the moon,leaving the earth's orbit in the dark hours on 14 August, after a crucial manoeuvre called Trans Lunar Insertion (TLI) carried out by ISRO to place the spacecraft on "Lunar Transfer Trajectory". India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV MkIII-M1 had successfully launched the 3,840-kg Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into the earth's orbit on 22 July.

The spacecraft's health is being continuously monitored from the Mission Operations Complex at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network in Bengaluru with support from Indian Deep Space Network antennas at Bylalu, near Bengaluru, the space agency has said.

Following the landing, the rover ‘Pragyan’ will roll out from lander ‘Vikram’ between 5:30-6:30 am on 7 September and carry out experiments on the lunar surface for a period of one lunar day, which is equal to 14 earth days. 

The mission life of the lander is also one lunar day, while the orbiter will continue its mission for a year. The rover carries two payloads to enhance the understanding of the lunar surface. India's second lunar expedition would shed light on a completely unexplored section of the Moon, its South Polar region. ISRO has said that the mission objective of Chandrayaan-2 is to develop and demonstrate the key technologies for end-to-end lunar mission capability, including soft-landing and roving on the lunar surface.