ID :
28520
Wed, 11/05/2008 - 09:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/28520
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Chandrayaan-1 successfully put into lunar orbit
Bangalore/Gandhinagar, Nov 4 (PTI) India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft--Chandrayaan-1--entered the lunar space early Tuesday after a successful fifth and final orbit raising manoeuvre and is likely to start circling the moon by Saturday.
The satellite is now orbiting at a maximum altitude of
380,000 kms from earth.
Exactly two weeks after it was launched from Sriharikota,
the spacecraft was in the last lap of its journey into the
moon's orbit after it was injected into the lunar transfer
trajectory by space scientists in a critical operation
described by Indian Space Research Organisation (I.S.R.O.) as
one of the "crucial and important milestones" in the
Chandrayaan-1 mission.
"It (Chandrayaan-1) is being tracked by Spacecraft
Control Centre at I.S.R.O. Telemetry, Tracking and Command
Network (I.S.T.R.A.C.) in Bangalore. Today we have done the
last orbit-raising manoeuvre to enter the lunar transfer
trajectory. If everything goes right, by November 8,
Chandrayaan-1 will start circling the moon," Nair told
reporters in Ahmedabad on the sidelines of a function here.
Chandrayaan-1 entered the lunar transfer trajectory with
an apogee(farthest point from earth) of about 380,000 km, the
space agency said in a statement.
"On Saturday evening, the lunar orbit insertion
manoeuvres are planned to be carried out and the Chandrayaan
will be captured in Moon's orbit," I.S.R.O. spokesperson S.
Satish told PTI in Bangalore.
During the crucial manoeuvre Tuesday at 4.56 am, the
spacecraft's 440 Newton liquid engine was fired for 145
seconds.
Since its launch on October 22 by P.S.L.V.-C11, all
systems onboard Chandrayaan-I spacecraft are performing
normally, Nair said.
The I.S.R.O. statement said Chandrayaan-1 would approach
the Moon on November eight and the spacecraft's liquid engine
would be fired again to insert the spacecraft into lunar
orbit.
It said the health of the spacecraft is being
continuously monitored from the Spacecraft Control Centre at
ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (I.S.T.R.A.C.)
here with the support from Indian Deep Space Network
(I.D.S.N.) antennas at Byalalu on the outskirts of Bangalore.
ISRO said since the launch on October 22 by
P.S.L.V.-C11, all systems onboard Chandrayaan-1 are performing
normally.
Once the spacecraft is in the lunar orbit, it will
stabilise in about a week after which it will send a probe
instrument to the moon's surface.
Chandrayaan-1 carries 11 payloads -- five from India and
others from abroad. During a two-year orbital mission, it will
provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and
topographical characteristics of the lunar surface.
When asked by newsmen how long will it take for the man
to step on moon, Nair said that India still has a long way to
go.
"We have to first develop our own technology to send
man to the outer space and then to the moon. We still have a
very long way to go," Nair said.
"If funding and everything is available, by 2015 we
will have capabilities to send man to the outer space. From
then it will take 5-6 years to send a man to moon," Nair
said. PTI PB
The satellite is now orbiting at a maximum altitude of
380,000 kms from earth.
Exactly two weeks after it was launched from Sriharikota,
the spacecraft was in the last lap of its journey into the
moon's orbit after it was injected into the lunar transfer
trajectory by space scientists in a critical operation
described by Indian Space Research Organisation (I.S.R.O.) as
one of the "crucial and important milestones" in the
Chandrayaan-1 mission.
"It (Chandrayaan-1) is being tracked by Spacecraft
Control Centre at I.S.R.O. Telemetry, Tracking and Command
Network (I.S.T.R.A.C.) in Bangalore. Today we have done the
last orbit-raising manoeuvre to enter the lunar transfer
trajectory. If everything goes right, by November 8,
Chandrayaan-1 will start circling the moon," Nair told
reporters in Ahmedabad on the sidelines of a function here.
Chandrayaan-1 entered the lunar transfer trajectory with
an apogee(farthest point from earth) of about 380,000 km, the
space agency said in a statement.
"On Saturday evening, the lunar orbit insertion
manoeuvres are planned to be carried out and the Chandrayaan
will be captured in Moon's orbit," I.S.R.O. spokesperson S.
Satish told PTI in Bangalore.
During the crucial manoeuvre Tuesday at 4.56 am, the
spacecraft's 440 Newton liquid engine was fired for 145
seconds.
Since its launch on October 22 by P.S.L.V.-C11, all
systems onboard Chandrayaan-I spacecraft are performing
normally, Nair said.
The I.S.R.O. statement said Chandrayaan-1 would approach
the Moon on November eight and the spacecraft's liquid engine
would be fired again to insert the spacecraft into lunar
orbit.
It said the health of the spacecraft is being
continuously monitored from the Spacecraft Control Centre at
ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (I.S.T.R.A.C.)
here with the support from Indian Deep Space Network
(I.D.S.N.) antennas at Byalalu on the outskirts of Bangalore.
ISRO said since the launch on October 22 by
P.S.L.V.-C11, all systems onboard Chandrayaan-1 are performing
normally.
Once the spacecraft is in the lunar orbit, it will
stabilise in about a week after which it will send a probe
instrument to the moon's surface.
Chandrayaan-1 carries 11 payloads -- five from India and
others from abroad. During a two-year orbital mission, it will
provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and
topographical characteristics of the lunar surface.
When asked by newsmen how long will it take for the man
to step on moon, Nair said that India still has a long way to
go.
"We have to first develop our own technology to send
man to the outer space and then to the moon. We still have a
very long way to go," Nair said.
"If funding and everything is available, by 2015 we
will have capabilities to send man to the outer space. From
then it will take 5-6 years to send a man to moon," Nair
said. PTI PB
