Shillong, September 22: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is eagerly awaiting signal confirmation from the Vikram lander, part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, as sunlight returns to the lunar south pole region.
As per India Today, the Vikram lander and its accompanying Pragyan rover entered sleep mode for two weeks due to harsh cold conditions on the Moon’s surface.
Chandrayaan-3 made history by successfully landing near the Moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023, at a site known as Shiv Shakti Point, approximately 600 km from the lunar south pole. Scientists are particularly interested in this region due to the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed areas.
The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover were designed to operate for 14 Earth days, conducting various experiments and studies on the lunar surface.
With the return of sunlight to the southern polar region, there is hope that the lander and rover can function beyond their initial mission duration. The optimal charging of their solar panels by sunlight will allow Isro to attempt to re-establish contact. Success would extend the mission, enabling further data collection and lunar exploration.
During their operational phase, the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover conducted numerous lunar experiments. The Pragyan rover covered a distance of over 100 meters on the lunar surface and detected various elements, including sulfur, aluminum, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon, and oxygen.