The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) unveiled a video on Thursday showcasing a significant moment in space exploration: the Pragyan rover’s emergence from the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander and its subsequent steps on the lunar surface. Earlier, ISRO had shared visuals of the Chandrayaan-3 lander Vikram’s soft landing on August 23, captured by Chandrayaan-2’s Orbiter High-Resolution Camera.
The Pragyan rover featured distinctive rear wheels adorned with the ISRO logo and the national emblem, which includes the Lion Capital of Ashoka from Sarnath. As the Pragyan rover traversed the moon’s terrain, it left behind imprints of these symbols.
Upon touchdown, both the lander and the rover commenced their operations and pre-assigned tasks for one lunar day. Remarkably, a lunar day is equivalent to 14 Earth days. (Lunar day is the time when the Moon’s surface is exposed to the sunlight i.e. for 14 days; a lunar night is also 14 Earth days long when the surface remains in the dark)
Historic feat
India achieved a historic milestone on Wednesday evening as the Chandrayaan-3 lander module successfully accomplished a controlled landing on the Moon’s South Pole. This achievement marked India as the first nation to attain this feat, effectively dispelling the disappointment stemming from the Chandrayaan-2 crash landing four years ago. In joining the ranks of the US, China, and Russia, India became the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon’s surface.
The journey of Chandrayaan-3 commenced with its launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14. The mission’s overarching objectives included a secure and gentle lunar landing, rover mobility on the lunar surface, and on-site scientific investigations.
However, the unforeseen disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic led to unexpected delays in the mission’s timeline. The approved budget for Chandrayaan-3 is Rs 250 crores, exclusive of the launch vehicle expenses.
Chandrayaan-2, India’s preceding lunar mission, experienced partial success due to the lander’s loss of communication after a hard landing. Nevertheless, ISRO accomplished a significant achievement this week by reestablishing two-way communication between the Chandrayaan-3 lander module and the still-operational Chandrayaan-2 orbiter.