ISRO on 22nd August 2019, Thursday released the 1st image of Moon captured by Chandrayaan-2, which moved into a lower orbit around the Moon on 21st August 2019, Wednesday.
The picture was clicked from the height of 2650 km(about) of the Lunar surface. Agency also stated that the Mare Orientale basin & Apollo craters were also identified in the picture clicked by Chandrayaan-2.
ISRO said that the “Spacecraft is working properly and also functioning normally”.
Chandrayaan-2 is India’s first attempt to land on the Moon. Before landing on September 7, the Chandrayaan-2 hybrid module has to move much closer to the Moon, in a near-circular orbit of 100×100 km. For this, Chandrayaan-2 would have to carry out three more orbit -lowering maneuvers.
K Sivan Chairman of ISRO said that the crucial process of making the soft landing of the lander ‘Vikram’ onboard the Chandrayaan-2 will be taken up in the early hours of September 7.
He also stated that “It is expected to make a soft landing at around 1.40 am and completed by 1.55 am. At the global level, this is an important mission. It is being keenly watched by everyone over the globe”.
