The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully carried out the Trans Lunar Injection (TLI) on Chandrayaan-3. The thrusters fired have moved the spacecraft away from Earth’s orbit and it has started its journey towards the Moon’s orbit with an increased velocity.
The velocity of the spacecraft is now expected to be around 0.5km/second. The next stage in the process is Lunar-Orbit Insertion, which is planned for Aug 5, 2023.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said “A successful perigee-firing performed at ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network). ISRO has injected the spacecraft into the translunar orbit.”
In other words, the spacecraft began its journey towards the Moon on Tuesday, after leaving the Earth’s orbit following the TLI maneuver, which placed it on ‘lunar transfer trajectory’.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had said it would attempt soft landing of the lander on the lunar surface on August 23.
The TLI is performed when the spacecraft is at a specific point in its orbit known as the ‘perigee’ or when its closest to the Earth. The engines are fired at this moment so that the spacecraft gains enough speed to break free from Earth’s gravitational pull and embark on its journey towards the moon; imagine it as the perfect slingshot.
The spacecraft’s orbit was progressively increased five times after the Chandrayaan-3 mission to Moon was launched on July 14.