Chandrayaan-2 completes over 9,000 orbits; continues to give data

Data product and science documents were released by ISRO Chairman Sivan, along with data from Chandrayaan-2 orbiter payloads

India’s Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft has completed more than 9,000 orbits around the Moon, and imaging and scientific instruments on board have been providing excellent data, officials said on Monday.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is holding a two-day Lunar Science Workshop 2021, which began on Monday, to commemorate the completion of two years of operation of Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft around the lunar orbit.

In his inaugural address, ISRO Chairman, K Sivan said the eight payloads on board the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft are conducting remote sensing and in-situ observations of the Moon at around 100 km altitude from the lunar surface.

“Till date, the Chandrayaan-2 has completed more than 9,000 orbits around the Moon,” added Sivan, also Secretary in the Department of Space (DoS).

According to the Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO, data product and science documents were released by Sivan, along with data from Chandrayaan-2 orbiter payloads.

“The science data are being made available for analysis by academia and institutes, for a greater participation to bring out more science from Chandrayaan-2 mission,” ISRO said.

Sivan said he has reviewed the science results, and found them to be “very much encouraging”.

Chairman of Apex Science Board, ISRO, AS Kiran Kumar said the imaging and scientific instruments on board the Chandrayaan-2 satellite have been providing excellent data.

Project Director of Chandrayaan-2, Vanitha M, said all the sub-systems of the orbiter were performing well.