CHANDRAYAAN 3: LAST 163 km LEFT!!! Vikram Lander separation to take place today AT 1 PM  

BY - RIVANSHI RAKHRAI

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is embarking to achieve a successful soft landing on the Moon with the launch of Chandrayaan-3

 The race to the uncharted south pole of the Moon is quickening with India’s Chandrayaan-3 and Russia's Luna-25 gearing up for lunar landings next week

ISRO has expanded the landing area and has chosen a spot with a 4km x 2.4 km area, instead of a 500 square metre

The ISRO scientists have added more fuel to the lander this time. Changes have been with the lander's design. The lander has no thrusters and will operate on four thrusters only

The lander module separation will take place between 1 pm to 1.30 pm

The successful landing of Chandrayaan 3 will make India the fourth country in the world to achieve the feat, joining the ranks of the United States, Russia, and China

Chandrayaan-3 components include various electronic and mechanical subsystems

There are mechanisms for the release of rover, two-way communication-related antennas and other onboard electronics

The approved cost of Chandrayaan-3 is ₹250 crores (excluding launch vehicle cost). Reports however peg the launch services cost at around ₹365 crore

Propulsion Module and the Lander Module gear up for their separate journeys