Chandrayaan-1 enters lunar transfer trajectory

Bangalore, Nov 4 (PTI) India's first unmanned moon
spacecraft, Chandrayaan-1 has entered the lunar transfer
trajectory and is heading to an apogee of 3,80,000 KM as
I.S.R.O. scientists Tuesday carried the fifth and final
orbit-raising manoeuvre.

"Chandrayaan-1 has entered the lunar transfer trajectory
and is heading to an apogee of 3,80,000 KM, expected to happen
on Saturday evening, the time at which the lunar orbit
insertion manoeuvres are planned to be carried out," Indian
Space Research Organisation (I.S.R.O.) spokesperson S. Satish
told PTI.

During the crucial manoeuvre Tuesday at 4.56 am, the
spacecraft's 440 Newton liquid engine was fired for 145
seconds.

"Tuesday's manoeuvre is one of the crucial and important
milestones in the Chandrayaan-1 mission", Satish said.

I.S.R.O. said the spacecraft is being continuously
monitored from the Spacecraft Control Centre at I.S.R.O.
Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (I.S.T.R.A.C.) here
with support from Indian Deep Space Network (I.D.S.N.)
antennas at Byalalu on the city outskirts.

Since its launch on October 22 by P.S.L.V.-C11, all
systems onboard Chandrayaan-I spacecraft are performing
normally, I.S.R.O. said.

Chandrayaan-I would approach the Moon on November eight
and the spacecraft's liquid engine would be fired again to
insert the spacecraft into lunar orbit, the space agency said.
PTI R.S.
RKM