The recent successful touchdown of the Chandrayaan-3 lander (Vikram) near the Moon’s south pole has sparked hopes within the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that the mission’s life span will exceed the typical one lunar day or 14 Earth days. ISRO envisions that the lander and rover will come back to life as the sun rises again on the Moon, allowing them to continue their experiments and studies.
With the lander and rover now deployed, the systems are primed to conduct experiments sequentially within the 14-day window, aiming to complete them before the Moon plunges into darkness and extreme cold.
The lander’s successful soft landing marked a significant achievement for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, fulfilling one of its primary objectives. Furthermore, the rover (Pragyan) recently descended from the lander, a move celebrated by ISRO as India’s “walk on the Moon.” The 26 kg, six-wheeled rover made its way onto the lunar surface using one of the lander’s side panels as a ramp.
Together, the lander and rover weigh 1,752 kg and are designed to function for one lunar daylight period, equivalent to approximately 14 Earth days, to conduct observations of their surroundings. However, ISRO remains open to the possibility that they may spring back to life for another lunar day.
ISRO Chairman S Somnath explained the upcoming sequence of events after the soft landing and rover deployment. He highlighted that the experiments conducted by the payloads on both the lander and rover will unfold sequentially within the 14-day lunar daytime window. He noted the challenges of the lunar night—pitch darkness and plummeting temperatures of around minus 180 degrees Celsius—making continued operation unlikely during this period. He expressed, “We hope it would happen that way,” signaling optimism for extended mission life.
The rover’s tasks include in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface through its payloads, such as the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS), to determine the elemental composition of soil and rocks surrounding the landing site. The Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) will provide insights into the chemical and mineralogical composition of the lunar surface.
ISRO’s interest in exploring the Moon’s south pole region is driven by the potential presence of water in permanently shadowed areas. Data collected by the rover will be transmitted to the lander, which in turn will relay it to Earth for analysis and further research. As ISRO continues to push the boundaries of lunar exploration, the Chandrayaan-3 mission showcases India’s dedication to scientific discovery and technological advancement.
