Chandrayaan-2 reaches nearer to moon with orbit change

The Indian space agency on Friday evening successfully completed the fourth lunar-bound orbit change for the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the spacecraft`s manoeuvre began at 6.18 p.m., using its onboard propulsion system for 1,155 seconds.

The orbit achieved is 124 km x 164 km.

All spacecraft parameters are normal.

The next lunar-bound orbit manoeuvre is scheduled on September 1, between 6 to 7 p.m.

On July 22, the Rs 978 crore Chandrayaan-2 was launched into the space by India`s heavy lift rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV Mk III) in text book style.

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The spacecraft comprises three segments - the Orbiter (weighing 2,379 kg, eight payloads), the lander `Vikram` (1,471 kg, four payloads) and rover `Pragyan` (27 kg, two payloads).