Chandrayaan-3's Vikram Lander "exceeded its mission objectives" and "successfully underwent a hop experiment", the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Monday. By "hop experiment", it meant that the lander made the soft-landing again on the lunar surface.
Explaining the manoeuvre, ISRO said that the lander fired the engines on command and elevated itself by about 40 cm as expected. It landed safely at a distance of 30 – 40 cm away, the Indian space agency said.
How is it important?
"This 'kick-start' enthuses future sample return and human missions!", ISRO said. It added that all systems performed nominally and are healthy. "Deployed Ramp, ChaSTE and ILSA were folded back and redeployed successfully after the experiment," it said.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:🇮🇳Vikram soft-landed on 🌖, again!
Vikram Lander exceeded its mission objectives. It successfully underwent a hop experiment.On command, it fired the engines, elevated itself by about 40 cm as expected and landed safely at a distance of 30 – 40 cm away.… pic.twitter.com/T63t3MVUvI— ISRO (@isro) September 4, 2023
One of the payloads on the lander also detected a "natural event" on the lunar surface.
The lander of Chandrayaan-3 has three payloads. Their role are:
1. RAMBHA-LP (Langmuir Probe): To measure the near surface plasma (ions and electrons) density and its changes with time.
2. ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment): To carry out the measurements of thermal properties of lunar surface near polar region.
3. ILSA (Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity): To measure seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.
What happened to the rover?
Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover was "set into Sleep mode" but with batteries charged and receiver on, ISRO said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, late on Saturday. "Hoping for a successful awakening for another set of assignments!" ISRO said. "Else, it will forever stay there as India's lunar ambassador."
As per the Indian space agency, the rover travelled over 100 m (330 feet), confirming the presence of sulphur, iron, oxygen and other elements on the moon.
India scripted history after the lander module of Chandrayaan-3 successfully made a soft-landing on the lunar surface on August 23. India became the fourth country to touch the lunar surface and first to ever reach the south pole of the moon.
First Published: Sept 4, 2023 11:52 AM IST
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