Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft covers two-thirds of distance to Moon, Lunar Orbit Injection tomorrow
Bengaluru (PTI): The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has covered about two-thirds of the distance to the Moon since its launch on July 14, ISRO said on Friday.
Over five moves in the three weeks since, ISRO has been lifting the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into orbits farther and farther away from Earth. Then, on August 1 in a key manoeuvre -- a slingshot move -- the craft was sent successfully towards the Moon from Earth's orbit.
Following this trans-lunar injection, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft escaped from orbiting the Earth and began following a path that would take it to the vicinity of the moon. Tomorrow, in another crucial manoeuvre the spacecraft will be injected into Moon's orbit.
The Lunar Orbit Injection (LOI) is set for around 7 pm on August 5, the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency said on Friday.
The manoeuvre will be performed when Chandrayaan-3 is at the closest point to the Moon (perilune), ISRO said.
The space agency earlier said that the health of India's third lunar mission is normal and a soft-landing on the lunar surface would be attempted on August 23.
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Giving son Rahul to Rae Bareli people, he won't disappoint you: Sonia Gandhi
Raebareli (UP), May 17: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said on Friday that she is giving her son to the people of Rae Bareli and "Rahul will not disappoint you".
She also thanked the people for giving her an opportunity to serve them as an MP for 20 years.
"My everything is all given by you. So, brothers and sisters, I am giving you my son. You consider me yours," she said.
Trying to strike an emotional chord with the voters, Sonia asked the people to consider Rahul Gandhi too as their own. Rahul will not disappoint you, said Sonia Gandhi, as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi stood by her side on the stage at a joint election rally here.
"I taught the same lessons to Rahul and Priyanka which Indira Gandhi and the people of Rae Bareli had taught me. To respect all, protect the weak, fight against injustice for the rights of people. Don't be afraid, because your roots of struggle and traditions are very deep," she said.
Sonia Gandhi was first elected as an MP from Rae Bareli in 2004 and represented the seat till earlier this year when she vacated it on getting elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi is in fray from the Rae Bareli constituency this time.
Sonia Gandhi also thanked the people of Rae Bareli for electing her.
"You gave me a chance to serve you as MP for 20 years. This is the biggest asset of my life," she said.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, along with other senior leaders of the Congress and the SP, was also present on the stage at the rally.
