Pragyan rover could wake up on the Moon if...

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently announced that the Pragyan rover and Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 mission have been put into 'sleep mode' on the Moon.

This strategic move was made as the lunar night, which lasts for about 14 Earth days, began. The lunar night is characterised by extreme cold, with temperatures dropping below -120 degrees Celsius, conditions that the electronics of the rover and lander are not designed to withstand.

The Pragyan rover, a six-wheeled robotic vehicle named after the Sanskrit word for 'wisdom', completed its assignments before being safely parked and set into sleep mode.

The rover is equipped with two payloads, the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS), both of which have been turned off. These payloads were responsible for transmitting data to Earth via the lander.

As the lunar day draws to a close, Isro has taken measures to conserve the battery of the rover and protect it from the harsh lunar night. The battery of the rover is currently fully charged, and the solar panel is oriented to receive light at the next sunrise, expected on September 22.

The receiver has been kept on in anticipation of a successful awakening.

However, there are certain conditions that need to be met for the rover and lander to wake up from their lunar slumber. The primary requirement is the onset of the lunar day, which is equivalent to 14 Earth days.

The lunar day will bring with it sunlight, enabling the solar panels of the rover and lander to recharge their batteries.

In addition to this, ISRO will also conduct several tests before the rover and lander are awakened. As explained by Chandrayaan-3 project director P Veeramuthuvel, the command to awaken the rover will only be enabled once these tests have been successfully completed.

If the Pragyan rover does not wake up successfully, it will remain on the Moon indefinitely, serving as India's lunar ambassador.

However, ISRO remains hopeful for a successful awakening and the continuation of the rover's assignments.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on July 14, marked India as the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface.

The successful awakening of the Pragyan rover and Vikram lander will be another significant milestone in India's space exploration journey. But, it all depends on the long lunar night ahead.