ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 Unveils Breathtaking Earth And Moon Images From Lunar Orbit

In an unveiling of celestial snapshots, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has showcased the Earth and Moon through the lens of its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft. The first image, a mesmerizing capture of Earth, was taken on July 14, aligning with the mission's historic launch from Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The second image, a stunning portrait of the Moon, was skillfully captured by the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC) aboard the spacecraft on August 6.

ISRO's tweet resonated with pride as they stated, "Lander Imager (LI) Camera on the day of the launch & moon imaged by Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC) a day after the Lunar Orbit Insertion. LI & LHV cameras are developed by SAC & LEOS, respectively."

Progressing steadfastly, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft marked a significant leap toward the lunar surface on Wednesday, thanks to an orbit reduction maneuver following its successful lunar orbit entry on August 5.

ISRO has charted an ambitious course, with the next pivotal maneuver scheduled for August 14, between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm. Notably, a comparable orbit reduction maneuver was executed just days ago.

As ISRO's mission unfolds, a carefully orchestrated sequence of maneuvers aims to refine Chandrayaan-3's trajectory and bring it into alignment with the lunar poles. Two further orbit reduction maneuvers are poised to draw the spacecraft closer to its lunar destination.

In the days ahead, August 14 and 16 will mark critical milestones as a sequence of maneuvers propels Chandrayaan-3 into a 100 km orbit. Subsequently, the landing module, housing both the lander and rover, will gracefully detach from the propulsion module.

With this separation, the lander will embark on a "deboost" process, shedding speed for a gentle touchdown on the Moon's south polar region, a momentous event anticipated for August 23.

In a remarkable display of engineering prowess, ISRO has progressively elevated Chandrayaan-3 across five maneuvers in three weeks since its momentous launch on July 14.