Vikram Lander Successfully separates from Chandrayaan2 Orbiter today, moon landing in a week

BENGALURU: Vikram (the lander) and Pragyan (rover) inside Vikram were successfully separated from the orbiter on Monday.

With that, India's Chandrayaan-2 mission is in its last and most crucial leg: Moon landing. After two de-orbit manoeuvres, Vikram is expected to touchdown on the lunar surface between 1.30am and 2.30am on September 5. ISRA announced it would be at 1.55am.

The separation of Vikram and Pragyan removed the landing module - which was on top of the orbiter - making Vikram independent for the first time since July 22, when the integrated Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was launched from Sriharikota.

ISRO is less than a week away from Moon landing. So far, only the US, Russia and China have managed to successfully land equipment on Moon.