India's space agency, ISRO, has achieved a significant milestone in its lunar exploration endeavors with the successful return of the propulsion module used for the Chandrayaan-3 mission to an orbit around the Earth. This maneuver signifies a crucial step towards future missions that not only aim to land spacecraft on the moon but also bring them back to Earth—an essential aspect of space exploration.
Commencing with an orbit-raising maneuver on October 9, ISRO meticulously planned and executed the propulsion module's trajectory back to Earth. This marks a groundbreaking achievement as the agency hadn't previously brought anything back from its lunar missions despite successfully positioning spacecraft in orbit around the moon on three occasions.
In addition to showcasing preparedness for future moon missions requiring lunar take-offs and Earth returns, this experiment revealed ISRO's successful gravity-assist flyby technique around a celestial body other than Earth. This complex maneuver utilized the gravitational force of another body to redirect and accelerate the spacecraft toward Earth—an exceptional feat demonstrating ISRO's technological prowess.
The propulsion module's return also eliminates the risk of collision with the moon or other satellites, ensuring the safety of both the module and orbiting spacecraft. Utilizing optimal trajectory planning, ISRO facilitated the return of the propulsion module to Earth in October 2023.
ISRO executed precise maneuvers, increasing the lunar orbit and subsequently exiting the moon's sphere of influence on November 10. Presently, the module orbits Earth at an altitude of approximately 154,000 kilometers, conducting spectroscopic studies of Earth's atmosphere through its payload, SHAPE. This payload aims to discern life markers on extraterrestrial planets beyond our solar system.
This remarkable achievement signifies India's space agency's continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of lunar exploration, bringing it one step closer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious goal of landing an Indian on the moon by 2040. ISRO's successful maneuver showcases its technological prowess and lays a foundation for future space missions, solidifying India's position in the global space exploration arena.
