Chandrayaan-3 Returns To Home Earth For ‘Bonus Mission’

India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, responsible for delivering a lander-rover duo to the moon, has undertaken an unexpected bonus mission.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) moved the propulsion module, powered by solar panels, out of lunar orbit and positioned it high above Earth.

This move, fueled by leftover propellant, aims to demonstrate technologies facilitating the eventual return of moon samples to Earth.

The box-shaped module now orbits Earth every two weeks, reaching its closest point at 95,000 miles on November 22.

ISRO has not disclosed plans for the spacecraft after fuel depletion. The propulsion module originally completed its primary task of placing the lander and rover in lunar orbit before transitioning to a higher orbit for scientific observations.

After accomplishing its primary goals, the module was redirected to Earth, undergoing four orbits around the moon before returning. 

The Chandrayaan-3 mission's robotic explorers, Pragyan and Vikram, achieved significant milestones, including the discovery of sulfur in lunar soil by Pragyan and Vikram's in-situ temperature measurement of the moon's soil.

Despite going silent in late September, the robots' contributions endure, marking a seemingly permanent rest._ISRO