Chandrayaan-3 debris uncontrollably re-enters into Earth’s atmosphere: ISRO
The rocket body (NORAD id 57321) was part of the vehicle that successfully injected the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft
Updated: Nov 16th, 2023
Four months after the successful launch of India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Nov 15 that the cryogenic upper stage of the LVM3 M4 launch vehicle, which successfully injected the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into the intended orbit, made an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere at around 2.45 p.m. IST on Nov 15.
The probable impact point was predicted over the North Pacific Ocean. The final ground track did not pass over India. This rocket body (NORAD id 57321) was part of the vehicle that successfully injected the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into the intended orbit on July 14.
“The re-entry of the rocket body took place within 124 days of its launch. The post-mission orbital lifetime of the LVM3 M4 cryogenic upper stage is, thus, fully compliant with the “25-year rule” for LEO (Low Earth Orbit) objects as recommended by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC),” said ISRO in a statement.
Post-Chandrayaan-3 injection, the upper stage had also undergone “passivation” to remove all residual propellant and energy sources to minimise the risks of accidental explosions as per the space debris mitigation guidelines prescribed by the United Nations and IADC.
Passivation and post-mission disposal of this rocket body in adherence to the internationally accepted guidelines once again reaffirm India’s commitment to preserving the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, added ISRO.
What is the ‘passivation’ of spacecraft?
The passivation of a spacecraft is the process of removing any internal energy contained in the vehicle at the end of its mission or useful life. Spent upper stages are generally passivated after their use as launch vehicles is complete, as are satellites when they can no longer be used for their design purpose.
