India's moon lander, Vikram, was placed into sleep mode by the Indian space agency after successfully completing a hop experiment. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced this development, stating that Vikram Lander entered sleep mode at approximately 08:00 Hrs. IST. Prior to this, in-situ experiments were conducted by the ChaSTE, RAMBHA-LP, and ILSA payloads at the new location, with data being transmitted to Earth. The payloads were subsequently powered off, while the Lander receivers remained active.
ISRO revealed that Vikram Lander and the moon rover, Pragyan, would remain in a dormant state until their solar power is depleted and their batteries drained. The agency anticipated awakening them around September 22, 2023.
A little hop
Earlier, ISRO had reported that Vikram had soft-landed on the lunar surface for a second time. The agency praised Vikram's performance, noting that it successfully executed the hop experiment, lifting itself by approximately 40 cm and landing safely at a distance of 30-40 cm from its original location. ISRO expressed confidence for future lunar sample return missions and manned moon missions, emphasising that all systems functioned as expected.
The Awakening
ISRO also provided updates on Pragyan, which had been placed in sleep mode on September 2. The rover had completed its tasks and was safely parked. Its batteries were fully charged, with the solar panel oriented to receive sunlight at the next sunrise on September 22. ISRO expressed hope for a successful reawakening of Pragyan for further tasks, adding that if unsuccessful, it would remain as India's lunar ambassador.
ISRO planned to wake up both Vikram and Pragyan on September 22, 2023, symbolising a new phase in their mission.
Chandrayaan-3's Accomplishments
1. Pragyan rover traversing over 100 meters, with a maximum range of 500 meters from the Vikram lander.
2. LIBS instrument confirming the presence of Sulphur (S) and detecting other elements on the lunar surface.
3. RAMBHA-LP conducting measurements of the lunar plasma environment near the south pole.
4. ILSA recording rover movements and an event of natural origin on August 26, under investigation.
5. ChaSTE instrument measuring temperature profiles of the lunar topsoil around the pole.
6. APXS instrument confirming the presence of Sulphur (S) using a different technique and detecting other minor elements, prompting further study of its source.
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