‘Welcome, buddy!’: Chandrayaan-3 makes two-way contact with Chandrayaan-2 orbiter

In the last phase of its Moon journey, India's much-anticipated spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 has established a two-way communication contact with its predecessor Chandrayaan-2 orbiter and has also sent images of the Lunar’s far side area, which have been captured by its Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC).

The lander will soon make a “soft landing” on the Moon and deploy the Rover, which will carry out an "in-situ chemical analysis" of the lunar surface during its mobility.

The LHDAC camera, says ISRO, assists in locating a safe landing area -- without boulders or deep trenches -- during the descent. It has also been developed by the Indian space agency at its Space Applications Centre (SAC).

Chandrayaan-3 is set to make a landing on the Moon on August 23, 2023, around 18:04 Hrs. IST. "Thanks for the wishes and positivity!" ISRO posted on microblogging platform X, while also sharing that the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter has formally welcomed the Chandrayaan-3 Lander module. "Two-way communication between the two is established," says ISRO.

"Chandrayaan-3 Mission: ‘Welcome, buddy!’ Ch-2 orbiter formally welcomed Ch-3 LM. Two-way communication between the two is established. MOX has now more routes to reach the LM. Update: Live telecast of Landing event begins at 17:20 Hrs. IST."

Space enthusiasts across the world can watch the Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon on August 23. People can do so via various modes, including the official ISRO website, its official YouTube channel, ISRO’s Facebook page, and DD National from 5:27 pm onwards on August 23.

According to the Indian space agency's last update on the Lander Module (LM), its health is "normal". The lander has successfully undergone a "deboosting operation" that reduced its orbit to 113 km x 157 km. The second deboosting operation was scheduled for August 20, 2023, around 02.00 Hrs IST, which also successfully reduced the lander module orbit to 25 km x 134km.

"The module would undergo internal checks and await the sun-rise at the designated landing site," ISRO says, adding that the powered descent is expected to start on August 23, 2023, around 17.45 hrs IST.

India's long-awaited-for space mission, Chandrayaan-3, took off successfully from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on August 14, 2023, marking the country's third mission to the Moon.

Chandrayaan-3 had completed its orbits around the Earth on August 1, 2023, and had headed towards the Moon. The spacecraft's Lunar-Orbit Insertion (LOI) was planned for August 5, 2023.

The ISRO this time aims to go beyond its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, and help the world study the lunar surface further and enhance humanity's knowledge. If Chandrayaan-3 lands smoothly on the Moon, India will be the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to achieve that feat.

Chandrayaan-3 will travel over 300,000 km to reach the Moon after several orbit-raising maneuvers. Chandrayaan-3 consists of an indigenous Lander module, propulsion module, and a Rover, and the aim is to develop and show new technologies required for inter-planetary missions.