Introduction
Vikram lander and Pragyan rover are The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is embarking on a challenging mission to re-establish communication with Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander and Pragyan rover. These two lunar explorers were placed in a state of dormancy earlier this month, and ISRO is now striving to awaken them from their slumber.
The Lunar Rest
On September 2, ISRO made an announcement via its official Twitter account, X (formerly Twitter), revealing that the Pragyan rover had successfully completed its lunar tasks and was now securely parked in a “sleep mode.” The data gathered by these payloads is then transmitted back to Earth through the lander. At that time, the battery was fully charged, and the solar panel was positioned to catch the first rays of sunlight expected on September 22, 2023.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission Highlights
The Rover’s Triumph
The rover has fulfilled all its designated assignments and is currently in a state of rest. This involves turning off APXS and LIBS payloads, with their data still being transmitted to Earth through the lander. The rover’s battery is fully charged, and it awaits the next lunar day.
Vikram’s Successful Hop
Vikram, the lander, accomplished a crucial “hop” maneuver and surpassed its mission objectives. This hop involved firing its engines, elevating itself by approximately 40 cm as planned, and safely touching down at a location about 30 to 40 cm away from its original landing spot.
Lunar Hibernation Chandrayaan-3: ISRO Revive Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover
Both the Pragyan rover and the Vikram lander were placed in sleep mode to endure the lunar night, which is equivalent to roughly 14 Earth days. However, the big question arises: What if the rover and lander fail to wake up?
ISRO, at the time of putting them to sleep, acknowledged the possibility of them remaining dormant permanently on the Moon, serving as India’s lunar ambassadors.
The Wake-Up Call
September 22 marked the expected lunar sunrise, prompting ISRO to make efforts to reestablish contact with the rover and lander. Unfortunately, these initial attempts were unsuccessful, with no signals received from either of them.
A Glimmer of Hope
While the situation appears challenging, experts draw hope from previous lunar missions. China’s lunar lander Chang’e-4 and rover Yutu-2, for instance, reactivated successfully after surviving their first lunar night in 2019.
However, former ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar has cautioned that Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover face formidable challenges. Lunar nights on the Moon can plummet to temperatures as low as -200 to -250 degrees Celsius, conditions that batteries are not designed to endure or operate within.
The Optimistic Outlook
Former ISRO scientist Tapan Mishra offers a glimmer of hope. He suggests that the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover were initially designed to operate for only 14 days. If they can endure the first lunar night, their chances of surviving many more nights increase significantly. In his optimistic view, they might even continue to operate for six months to a year, which would be a remarkable achievement.
As the sector watches with bated breath, ISRO continues its efforts to reawaken those lunar explorers, hoping for a victorious return to their venture at the Moon. simplest time will inform if the Chandrayaan-3 project will write a brand new bankruptcy in lunar exploration or stay a testimony to the demanding situations of exploring the lunar night time.
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