BANGALORE: ISRO scientists on Thursday successfully performed the fourth orbit-raising manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft from here. They performed the manoeuvre from the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).

The next firing is planned for July 25 between 2 pm and 3 pm, the national space agency headquartered here said. India celebrates the International Moon Day 2023 by propelling Chandrayaan-3 a step closer to the Moon, it added. The Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon was launched on July 14. "...craft is on way to the Moon.

In another few days it will go (the lander will soft-land on the Lunar surface)," ISRO Chairman Somanath S said earlier in the day while delivering the inaugural address to the Space Science Technology & AwaReness Training (START) program 2023. "I am sure that you will find something very substantial through this (Chandrayaan-3) mission as far as science is concerned," he said. The soft landing of the craft on the lunar surface is planned for August 23.