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‘Moon mission's a stepping stone': President Murmu lauds Chandrayaan-3
Earlier in the day, Chandrayaan-3 got even closer to the Moon as it performed another important maneuver between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm.
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday lauded the Chadrayaan-3 moon mission - India's third lunar mission - while addressing the nation on the eve of 77th Independence Day, saying it is a “stepping stone for India's future space programs”. Lauding the space sector, the President said, “The aspirations of the new India have infinite dimensions.” (CHECK LIVE UPDATES)
“The Indian Space Research Organisation keeps scaling new heights and setting higher benchmarks of excellence. This year, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-3, and its lander named ‘Vikram’ and its rover named ‘Pragyan’ are slated to land on the moon in the next few days. It will be a proud moment for all of us and I look forward to it,” President Murmu said in a virtual address.
She added, “For their work in space and also on earth, our scientists and technologists are bringing laurels to the country.”
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Earlier in the day, Chandrayaan-3 got even closer to the Moon as it performed another important maneuver between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm. “Orbit circularisation phase commences. Precise maneuvre performed today has achieved a near-circular orbit of 150 km x 177 km. The next operation is planned for August 16, 2023, around 0830 Hrs. IST,” the ISRO wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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According to ISRO, once all the necessary maneuvers are completed, a precise landing spot near the “Moon's south pole” will be chosen. Post this, a propulsion module will detach from the lander while it's in orbit and the lander will descend from orbit and make an attempt to land softly on the Moon.
The Chandrayaan-3 is expected to land on the Moon on August 23 after traveling for 40 days.
