Lander Vikram, rover Pragyan in final leg of Moon mission, Isro to put them to sleep
Isro chief S Somnath announced the development following the picture-perfect launch of the Aditya L1 mission, Indian maiden space class solar observatory.
Lander Vikram stationed on the Moon. (Photo: Isro)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Sep 2, 2023 13:34 IST
In Short
- The Pragyan rover has been operational since August 23
- It has confirmed the presence of sulphur
- Isro is preparing to put both Vikram and Pragyan into sleep mode
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission, a significant milestone in lunar exploration, has achieved another remarkable feat. The Pragyan rover, part of the mission, has successfully traversed 100 meters on the Moon's surface.
This achievement comes as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) prepares to put both the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover into sleep mode due to the fading sunlight on the Moon.
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isro chief S Somnath announced the development following the picture-perfect launch of the Aditya L1 mission, Indian maiden space class solar observatory.
Launched on July 14, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Chandrayaan-3 made India the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon and the first to do so near the lunar south pole. The mission's primary objective is to hunt for water and study the lunar surface features, including thermal properties and surface elements of the lunar topsoil.
The Pragyan rover, operational since August 23, has been diligently performing its mission objectives.
It has confirmed the presence of sulphur, iron, oxygen, and other elements on the moon. The rover's journey of 100 meters is a testament to ISRO's end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
However, as the sunlight begins to fade on the Moon, Isro is preparing to put both Vikram and Pragyan into sleep mode. Both are solar-powered and designed to operate during sunlit periods. Once their mission life is over, they will be decommissioned and left on the lunar surface.
Despite this, the mission continues to provide valuable information about the Moon's atmosphere, soil, and minerals. This data is expected to have far-reaching implications for the scientific community worldwide and future lunar habitat developments for explorations.
As the world watches with bated breath, the Chandrayaan-3 mission continues to make strides in space exploration, proving that indeed, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Space is no limit."
