This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On August 20, 2019, India's Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft successfully completed its Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) as planned, marking a major milestone in the country's ambitious lunar mission.
According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the insertion was completed successfully at 0902 hours IST (0332 GMT) using the onboard propulsion system, with a manoeuvre duration of 1738 seconds.
India's lunar mission, which aims to make the country the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the Moon, after Russia, the United States, and China, is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
With the successful completion of LOI, the Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft is now poised to land on the lunar South Pole on September 7, 2019, if the rest of the mission goes according to plan.
ISRO's Chandrayaan 2 mission is a complex and challenging operation, requiring precise calculations and execution to avoid a catastrophic crash or a loss in deep space.
The mission, which was launched from India's spaceport at Sriharikota in southern Andhra Pradesh state on July 22, 2019, is expected to provide valuable insights into the origin and evolution of the Moon through detailed topographical studies, mineralogical analyses, and other experiments.
With a budget of approximately $140 million, the Chandrayaan 2 mission is a significant achievement for India's space programme, demonstrating the country's capabilities in space exploration and research.
