The Vikram lander module of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has been separated from the propulsion module, marking a milestone in India's third lunar mission. Photograph:(Twitter)

Chandrayaan-3 lander has been separated from the propulsion module successfully. The Vikram lander will now undergo de-boosting, coming a step closer to a planned soft landing on the moon.

Chandrayaan-3, India's lunar mission, has successfully completed the crucial phase of separating the Lander Module (LM) and Propulsion Module (PM). The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) shared the mission update on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday (Aug 17).

The latest phase of the mission, which is Phase 5, was to conduct the separation of the two modules carefully before sending the Lander Module to lower moon orbit.

The ISRO shared a mission update on X, formerly Twitter: “‘Thanks for the ride, mate! 👋’ said the Lander Module (LM). LM is successfully separated from the Propulsion Module (PM). LM is set to descend to a slightly lower orbit upon a de-boosting planned for tomorrow around 1600 Hrs., IST.”


The Vikram Lander module of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has been separated from the propulsion module, marking a milestone in India's third lunar mission.

Post its separation, the Lander will undergo a process of slowing down, known as deboost, to place it in an orbit where the Peruline or the closest point to the Moon is 30 km and Apolune or the farthest point from the Moon is 100 km.

Chandrayaan-3, which consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan similar to Chandrayaan-2, does not have an orbiter. Its Propulsion Module behaves like a communication relay satellite. The Propulsion Module carries the lander and rover configuration until the spacecraft is in a 100-kilometre (62 miles) lunar orbit.

Role of Propulsion Module (PM) After Separation

The propulsion module, other than carrying the Lander and Rover configuration till about 100 km lunar orbit, also carries the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study spectral and polarimetric measurements of the Earth from lunar orbit.

After separating from the Lander Module, the Propulsion Module will continue to study the Earth's atmosphere for months/years.

The main function of the PM was to carry the LM from launch vehicle injection to the final lunar 100 km circular polar orbit and separate the LM from the PM.

Role of Lander Module (LM)

The Lander has the capability to soft-land at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover, which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.

The Lander and the Rover have scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface.

1. Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature

2. Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for measuring the seismicity around the landing site

3. Langmuir Probe (LP) to estimate the plasma density and its variations

4. A passive Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA is accommodated for lunar laser ranging studies.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14 from India's spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

Some 16 minutes after lift-off, the craft was placed in a highly elliptical orbit around the Earth.

Thereafter, by performing five engine burns on as many occasions, the craft gradually raised its orbit and slingshot itself further away from Earth, while continuing to remain in the home planet's orbit.