Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to wake up soon
Despite challenges, ISRO decided to put the lander and rover to sleep mode after all its main objectives were achieved
- Sep 21, 2023,
- Updated Sep 21, 2023 10:05 AM IST
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for an exciting phase in the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The ground stations are preparing to awaken the mission’s lander and rover modules, Vikram and Pragyan, from their sleep in the Moon’s extremely cold atmosphere.
The ISRO website claims that the lander and rover are expected to be woken up around September 22. The preparation of the revival attemps are expected to start from Thursday, once optimum sunshine is available.
According to an Indian Express report, citing ISRO officials, the chances of revival of the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover are not very high. However, ISRO officials maintain that it is not a hopeless situation. It is possible that the lander or rover module may wake up but be unable to regain full functionality.
The Challenges
The Chandrayaan-3 modules are solar-powered. So, they can derive power from the sun's rays but the lander and rover were designed with a mission life of just 14 Earth days from the landing date (August 24). Furthermore, the electronics on the vehicles were not built to tolerate the extremely cold night-time temperatures on the Moon, which can drop well below -200 degrees Celsius near the south pole, where Chandrayaan-3 has landed.
ISRO still took its chances when it decided to put the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to sleep after it achieved all its main objectives. The batteries were fully charged during the time when the rover and lander were put to sleep mode, expecting them to revive.
What happens if the Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover Wake Up?
If they wake up fully functional, the lander and rover can continue to work for another 14 Earth days. This in turn will enable scientists to gather even more information about the lunar surface. The lander also hopped to a new spot before it was put to sleep, which could provide scientists with more perspective if it is reactivated successfully.
Also read: Chandrayaan-1 data shows how Earth helped Moon get its water
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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for an exciting phase in the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The ground stations are preparing to awaken the mission’s lander and rover modules, Vikram and Pragyan, from their sleep in the Moon’s extremely cold atmosphere.
The ISRO website claims that the lander and rover are expected to be woken up around September 22. The preparation of the revival attemps are expected to start from Thursday, once optimum sunshine is available.
According to an Indian Express report, citing ISRO officials, the chances of revival of the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover are not very high. However, ISRO officials maintain that it is not a hopeless situation. It is possible that the lander or rover module may wake up but be unable to regain full functionality.
The Challenges
The Chandrayaan-3 modules are solar-powered. So, they can derive power from the sun's rays but the lander and rover were designed with a mission life of just 14 Earth days from the landing date (August 24). Furthermore, the electronics on the vehicles were not built to tolerate the extremely cold night-time temperatures on the Moon, which can drop well below -200 degrees Celsius near the south pole, where Chandrayaan-3 has landed.
ISRO still took its chances when it decided to put the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to sleep after it achieved all its main objectives. The batteries were fully charged during the time when the rover and lander were put to sleep mode, expecting them to revive.
What happens if the Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover Wake Up?
If they wake up fully functional, the lander and rover can continue to work for another 14 Earth days. This in turn will enable scientists to gather even more information about the lunar surface. The lander also hopped to a new spot before it was put to sleep, which could provide scientists with more perspective if it is reactivated successfully.
Also read: Chandrayaan-1 data shows how Earth helped Moon get its water
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