Russia

 Chandrayaan-3 has completed its crucial final lunar orbital adjustment, marking a significant step in India’s moon exploration mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) closely monitored this key operation as they prepare for the spacecraft’s upcoming landing on the lunar surface, scheduled for Wednesday. The lander, Vikram, has positioned itself in an orbit with the closest point to the Moon at 25 kilometers and the farthest at 134 kilometers. This orbit sets the stage for an attempt at a soft landing in the uncharted south polar region of the Moon, a daring endeavour ISRO is eagerly pursuing. ISRO announced, “The second and final deboosting operation has successfully reduced the LM orbit to 25 km x 134 km. The module would undergo internal checks and await the sunrise at the designated landing site. The powered descent is expected to commence on August 23, 2023, around 1745 Hrs. IST,” through their official communication channel. Vikram, the lander, has been navigating its lunar orbit autonomously, making decisions on its functions as it descends. ISRO’s former chief, K Sivan, affirmed that the lander’s design remains unchanged from the Chandrayaan-2 mission, with all issues identified in the previous mission addressed. If the landing on Wednesday proves successful, India will join the exclusive group of countries that have accomplished this remarkable lunar feat. Earlier in the mission, the lander module separated from the propulsion module, which will continue orbiting Earth for an extended period to study Earth’s atmosphere and gather data on polarized light from clouds. This separation marked a crucial milestone. Upon reaching the lunar surface, Vikram will capture images of the Pragyaan rover, tasked with analyzing the Moon’s surface composition and searching for water. The rover’s operational lifespan on the lunar surface is equivalent to one lunar day, or approximately 14 Earth days. Chandrayaan-3 was launched into space aboard the LVM3 rocket on July 14 and entered lunar orbit on August 5, marking significant progress in India’s lunar exploration efforts. Meanwhile, Russia’s Luna-25 probe, on its way to the Moon, faced an “emergency” during a manoeuvre, potentially affecting its scheduled landing on the lunar south pole. The incident occurred as the probe was being transitioned to the pre-landing orbit, though it remains unclear whether this will impact the planned landing, slated for Monday, near the Boguslawsky crater. In a space endeavour that has been nearly 50 years in the making, Russia is closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a successful outcome for its historic lunar mission.