Chandrayaan-3, India's ambitious lunar mission's lander, named Vikram is now serving as a location marker on the Moon's South Pole, confirmed NASA.This came after it has been successfully inserted into lunar orbit with an achieved orbit of 164 km x 18074 km. Additionally, the spacecraft was placed into a translunar orbit of 288 km x 369328 km.
This was established through a successful experiment conducted on December 12, 2023, at 3 p.m. EST, where NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) transmitted laser pulses towards the lander from a distance of 100 kilometers, near the Manzinus crater. The LRO's laser altimeter instrument detected light reflected back from a small NASA retroreflector aboard Vikram, confirming the lander's precise location.
The Vikram lander's role extends beyond its initial mission objectives. It is equipped with a Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA), which is only 5 centimeters wide but serves as a long-term geodetic station and a location marker. This technology is simple, durable, and can last for decades without requiring power or maintenance.
The LRA's ability to reflect light coming from any direction back to its source has numerous applications, including aiding in the precise determination of spacecraft orbital positions and refining the lunar geodetic frame. These insights could reveal details about the Moon's dynamics, internal structure, and gravitational anomalies.
Several NASA retroreflectors are poised for deployment on both public and private moon landers, according to an announcement from NASA. One of these retroreflectors is set to be deployed on the SLIM lander operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), scheduled to land on the Moon this Friday. Additionally, Intuitive Machines, a private aerospace company, will carry another retroreflector on its spacecraft, which is expected to launch to the Moon in mid-February.
The primary objectives of Chandrayaan-3 include demonstrating a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, rover roving capabilities, and conducting in-situ scientific experiments. On August 23, 2023, Vikram achieved a historic landing near the Moon's South Pole, making India the first nation to reach this region of the Moon. This feat was further highlighted when the Vikram lander kicked up approximately 2.09 tonnes of lunar soil upon touchdown, creating a visible ejecta halo around the landing site.
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