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Chandrayaan-3 Propulsion module sent back to earth’s orbit
For a duration of one year, the propulsion module will stay in orbit around the Earth
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced on December 5 that it is getting closer to returning samples from the moon and meeting the objective of having an Indian land on the moon by 2040.
The space agency was able to successfully reroute the Chandrayan-3’s propulsion module (PM) from a moon orbit to an orbit around the Earth. This experiment Would enable ISRO in planning and executing future lunar journeys back to Earth.
The PM after separating from the Chandrayaan parts was orbiting the moon and studying the earth through an instrument called Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload. However, scientists found that after three months of operation over 100 kg of fuel was left unused.
“It was decided to use the available fuel in the PM to derive additional information for future lunar missions and demonstrate the mission operation strategies for a sample return mission.In order to continue SHAPE payload for Earth observation, it was decided to re-orbit the PM to a suitable Earth orbit, “ a press release from ISRO read.
The mission that started on October 9 and completed successfully marked the first time the space agency has successfully returned something from a lunar orbit, despite having sent spacecraft into orbit three times.
Additionally, this experiment marks the first time the space agency has successfully conducted a gravity assist flyby around a celestial body other than Earth. Using the gravity of a planet or other celestial body, a spacecraft can be accelerated, redirected, and slammed into Earth during a gravity assist flyby. The experiment has aided ISRO in testing software capable of organizing such a maneuver.
From its new orbit, the propulsion module's payload, known as SHAPE, will carry out spectroscopic research on Earth's atmosphere. The payload's goal was to detect signals in an effort to aid researchers in their understanding of the telltale signs of extrasolar life.
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