India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is capturing some amazing footage of the lunar surface as it approaches in a historic landing attempt.
The Indian Space Research Organisation confirmed that the mission was ‘on schedule’ as of Tuesday evening.
They also shared photos and footage captured by the Lander Position Detection Camera, which assists the module in determining its position by comparing photos taken with an onboard moon reference map.
One picture was taken from 70km above the surface, showing features such as the Mare Marginis, a large, dark basaltic plain formed by ancient asteroid impacts that triggered volcanic activity.
Another image taken on August 20 provided a closer view of the dusty, grey lunar surface, pockmarked by impact craters.
Chandrayaan-3, which means “moon vehicle” in Sanskrit, was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on July 14.
It is taking a slower approach to the moon when compared to the recent failed Luna-25 mission, taking 40 days to reach the moon rather than the nine that it took the Russian spacecraft.
The mission marks the second Indian attempt to complete a soft landing on the moon’s surface.
The first attempt, in 2019 with Chandrayaan-2, crashed into the lunar surface due to software issues and problems braking upon descent.
The spacecraft is set to begin its final descent to the moon’s surface at 12:15am on Thursday.
SHARE ME