Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission achieves key flyby milestones

Chandrayaan-3 was developed to demonstrate the capability for a controlled lunar landing, enable rover mobility on the Moon, and facilitate in-situ research. The mission includes a lander module, propulsion module, and rover. The satellite launched aboard LVM3 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota, on July 14, 2023.

Following its lunar touchdown on August 23, 2023, the propulsion module maintained lunar orbit at roughly 150 km until October 2023. Maneuvers executed in October then propelled the module into a high-altitude, Earth-bound trajectory, placing it under the combined gravitational influences of Earth and the Moon.

The module entered the Moon's sphere of influence on November 4, 2025. The first lunar flyby occurred outside Indian Deep Space Network visibility on November 6, with closest approach at 3,740 km from the Moon's surface. The second flyby, tracked by the Indian Deep Space Network, reached 4,537 km from the surface on November 11. The module is projected to exit the Moon's sphere of influence on November 14, 2025.

During these flybys, the satellite's orbit shifted from 100,000 x 300,000 km to 409,000 x 727,000 km, and inclination changed from 34 to 22 degrees. ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network closely monitored the trajectory and proximity to other beyond-Earth objects. The satellite performed nominally throughout; no close encounters with other lunar orbiters were recorded. Mission teams gained valuable operational insights, especially regarding disturbance torques and precise flight dynamics.