The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is hoping that the mission life of Chandrayaan-3's lander Vikram and rover Pragyan will not be limited to one lunar day, which is equal to 14 days on the Earth. After this period, the sun will set on the Moon. The latest sunlight cycle on the Moon began on August 23 — that's why the ISRO targeted this day for the soft landing.
Mission life of Chandrayaan-3's lander and rover
Chandrayaan-3's lander module, which carried a lander and a rover, made a successful soft landing on the south pole of the Moon on Wednesday, August 23.
The lander touched down near the south pole of the Moon at 6.04 pm on Wednesday, successfully completing one of the Chandrayaan-3 mission's stated objectives of soft landing on lunar surface in the satellite's unknown south pole.
Following the deployment of the lander and the rover, the systems or the payloads on the lander and the rover are now ready to perform experiments so as to complete them within 14 earth days or one lunar day, before the pitch darkness and extreme cold weather engulfs the Moon.
The lander and rover are designed to operate for one lunar daylight period (about 14 Earth days) to study the surroundings there. However, ISRO officials do not rule out the possibility of them coming back to life for another lunar day.
What happens when sun sets on the Moon?
Explaining what would happen after the lander's soft landing and deployment of the rover, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said, "After this, all the experiments (by payloads on lander and rover) will take place one after the other — all of which have to be completed in just one day on the Moon, which is 14 (Earth) days."
The ISRO chairman said that as long as the sun shines, all the systems will have its power. "The moment the sun sets, everything will be in pitch darkness, temperature will go as down as low as minus 180 degree celsius.
So it is not possible for the systems to survive," he was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.
What happens after 14 earth days?
The ISRO chairman, however, added that if it survives further after 14 Earth days, "then we should be happy that once again it has come to life and we will be able to work on the system once again." He said, "We hope it would happen that way."
Chandrayaan-3's lander module is equipped with many solar panels. Somnath had said earlier this month, "The solar panels are bigger than the last time. We have added more solar panel on the other side of the lander so as to generate more power."
The Chandrayaan-3 mission's goal
Earlier on Thursday (August 24), ISRO announced that "India took a walk on the Moon" as the rover rolled down from the lander on the Moon's surface. The Indian space agency had earlier said the 26 kg six-wheeled rover was scheduled to descend from the lander's belly on to the Moon's surface, using one of its side panels which acts as a ramp.
The rover will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility. It would study the surface of the Moon through its payloads APXS (Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer) to determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.
Another payload on the rover, the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS), will derive the chemical composition and infer mineralogical composition to further enhance understanding of the lunar surface.
The rover will send the data to the lander, which will then send it to Earth.
First Published: Aug 24, 2023 6:20 PM IST
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