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Lander leaves Chandrayaan-2 past noon

Isro scientists performed the final and fifth lunar-bound orbit manoeuvre for Chandrayaan-2, and placed the spaceship in an almost-circular orbit.

Nellore: The Vikram lander will separate from the mothership, Chandrayaan-2 on Monday, marking one of the major steps in India’s second moon mission. The important exercise is scheduled between between 12.45 pm to 1.45 pm. Following this, there will be two deorbit manoeuvres on September 3 and 4 before the lander, carrying the rover Pragyaan, will land in the south polar region of the moon on September 7.

On Sunday, Isro scientists performed the final and fifth lunar-bound orbit manoeuvre for Chandrayaan-2, and placed the spaceship in an almost-circular orbit. Chandrayaan-2 is now 119 km at its closet approach to the moon and 127 km at its farthest. At 6.21 pm, Isro scientists on schedule fired the onboard propulsion system for 52 seconds to nudge the spacecraft ever closer to the moon. Isro said all spacecraft parameters were normal.

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