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India's Moon Lander Returns Propulsion Module to Earth Orbit After Successful Mission
India's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), announced on Monday that the propulsion module of the Chandrayaan-3 mission has returned to Earth's orbit after carrying out its mission successfully. The module, which contains extra fuel, was initially sent to the Moon's surface with the moon lander and rover in 2017.
The propulsion module, resembling a large crate with solar panels and engines, was installed on the moon lander during the preparation phase for the Chandrayaan-3 mission. After reaching the Moon's orbit in July 2017, the lander separated from the module and performed a successful touchdown on the lunar surface on August 23, 2017. This marked India as the fourth nation to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, following the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union.
The Vikram Lander and the six-wheeled rover, Prahan, had conducted various scientific experiments for nearly two weeks before entering their lunar slumber. Waking them up would have been an added bonus for the mission, as the Indian space agency considered it a complete success.
However, the propulsion module remained in the Moon's orbit, playing a crucial role as a relay station, transmitting data from the lander back to Earth. The module carried out an experiment called SHAPE (Spektrale Polarisationsmessungen des bewohnbaren Planeten Erde), which aimed to observe and capture the Earth's habitable features in near-infrared light. The data gathered can provide insights to help scientists search for similar features elsewhere in the universe that might suggest the presence of life.
The initial plan was to let SHAPE run for approximately three months while the propulsion module made repeated passes over the Moon. However, due to the precise orbit achieved by the rocket launching the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, more fuel was left in the propulsion module than expected.
As a result, ISRO made the decision to use the extra fuel to gather additional information that could aid in planning future Moon missions and demonstrating the strategies for sample return missions. This includes refining the techniques for extracting samples from the lunar surface and orchestrating their safe return to Earth.
The surplus fuel could also help optimize future mission strategies by providing the flexibility to adjust trajectories or extend mission durations if necessary. Potentially, it could power scientific payloads or experiments that weren't initially planned, enhancing the overall scientific value of the mission.
Pressing Ahead with Future Endeavors
While utilizing the surplus fuel opens up numerous possibilities for future Moon missions, ISRO has also been testing techniques to keep it from impacting the Moon's surface after a mission. One such method involves a brief 'Hop Test,' where the vehicle is lifted a few centimeters from the surface. This test was not aimed at returning to the orbit or reconnecting with the propulsion module; instead, it was to evaluate aspects of the vehicle's design for upcoming missions.
As of now, the propulsion module remains in a roughly 96,000-mile (154,000-kilometer) orbit around the Earth and makes a complete circuit approximately every thirteen days. The space agency mentioned that this return trip would take into consideration collision avoidance, such as steering clear of the Moon's surface or avoiding entering into the Earth's Geostationary Orbit (GEO) – a region filled with expensive satellites that provide television and communication services to people on Earth.
The ability to successfully bring back the propulsion module follows a series of successful Moon missions by ISRO. These include the Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, and the recent Prithvi, which focused on testing different technologies for future Moon missions.
