Pragyaan Rover’s Lunar Slumber: Awaiting Moonlight
Image Source: TimesKuwait
In a lunar twist, India’s Chandrayaan 3 mission’s rover ‘Pragyaan’ has wrapped up its lunar assignments and entered a strategic slumber. This sleep mode will protect it from the upcoming lunar night until it reawakens with the next sunrise on September 22, 2023.
ISRO reported, “The Rover completed its assignments. It’s now safely situated and set into Sleep mode. APXS and LIBS loads are turned off. Data from these loads is transmitted to the Earth via the Lander.”
ISRO’s recent update revealed that Pragyaan’s battery is fully charged, and its solar panel is set to embrace the sunlight when it returns. This lunar nap is a crucial step as it prepares the rover for its next set of assignments.
This week, the Pragyan Rover module of the Vikram lander recorded a significant natural event on the moon’s south pole, adding to the scientific insights gathered during the mission.
If all goes as planned, the rover will continue its lunar exploration. However, if it doesn’t reawaken successfully, it will remain on the moon, representing India’s ongoing lunar legacy.
This lunar adventure began with the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 lander module on August 23, 2023, making India the fourth nation to achieve this milestone. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath earlier confirmed the positive status of both the lunar mission’s rover, ‘Pragyaan,’ and its lander, ‘Vikram.’ Notably, Pragyaan had traveled nearly 100 meters away from the lander, contributing valuable insights to our understanding of Earth’s celestial neighbor, before preparations began to ensure their resilience during the lunar night.
As the rover slumbers beneath the moon’s tranquil surface, the world eagerly awaits its next lunar awakening, ready to uncover more lunar mysteries and scientific discoveries.
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