ISRO successfully conducts TransLunar Injection of Chandrayaan-3

Source: The post is based on the article “ISRO successfully conducts TransLunar Injection of Chandrayaan-3”  published in The Hindu on 1st August 2023.

What is the News?

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully performed the TransLunar Injection (TLI) to slingshot Chandrayaan-3 towards the moon.

Note: TLI has been performed successfully on many missions to the Moon, including the Apollo missions, the Chang’e missions and the Artemis missions.

What is Trans Lunar Injection(TLI)?

The Trans Lunar Injection(TLI) manoeuvre is a vital space travel technique used to launch a spacecraft from Earth’s orbit and place it on a track beyond the Moon. 

The TLI is performed when the spacecraft is at a specific point in its orbit known as the ‘perigee’ or the closest point to Earth. 

By firing its engines at this strategic moment, the spacecraft gains enough speed to break free from Earth’s gravitational pull and embark on its journey toward the moon.

What happens after Trans Lunar Injection(TLI)?

Once the TLI is successfully completed, the spacecraft is put on a lunar trajectory, and it will continue its journey to the Moon without further propulsion from Earth.

The spacecraft typically enters a transfer orbit, which is an elliptical path that intersects with the Moon’s orbit. It continues to travel in its highly eccentric orbit until it reaches the Moon’s surface.

As the spacecraft approaches the Moon, it may perform additional manoeuvres, such as lunar orbit insertion (LOI), to enter into lunar orbit or land on the lunar surface, depending on the mission’s goals.