Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Thursday said that it has successfully separated the Vikram lander from the propulsion module of the Chandrayaan-3 and the mission is now in its final leg of making a soft landing on the lunar surface
Upon a successful landing, the Vikram lander will release the sophisticated Pragyan rover for next phase of ISRO’s mission. The rover is designed with a six-wheeled configuration, enabling it to cover distances of up to 500 meters across the lunar terrain
The Pragyan rover's primary mission is to uncover the moon's geological secrets, providing insights into its composition and evolution. Armed with advanced scientific instruments, the rover will help scientists piece together the intriguing history of Moon
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The Pragyan rover's mission includes targeted investigations for several key elements, such as magnesium, aluminium, silicon, potassium, calcium, titanium, and iron, providing valuable insights into the moon's composition and geological history
Contrary to popular belief, the moon possesses a subtle atmosphere close to its surface. Pragyan will scrutinise this intriguing lunar atmosphere, studying its fluctuations between day and night, focusing on charged particles and their behaviour in proximity to the surface. This investigation promises a deeper understanding of the moon's atmospheric dynamics
One of the rover's standout experiments involves using its laser beams to melt lunar regolith, enabling the analysis of emitted gases, thus unlocking vital information about the moon's composition
Equipped with stereoscopic camera-based 3D vision, the rover will generate digital elevation models of the terrain, aiding in path-planning and navigation and revealing the surface of the Lunar South Pole for the first time
The rover's design incorporates a six-wheel, rocker-bogie suspension system, allowing it to traverse up to 500 meters at a pace of 1 cm per second. Its power-efficient design operates on a mere 50 watts
Chandrayaan-3's mission on the moon's surface spans 14 days, equivalent to one lunar day, during which it will conduct a series of intricate experiments
During its journey, the Pragyan rover would conduct real-time analyses on-site, transmitting the gathered data to the Vikram lander. From there, the Vikram lander would act as a relay, transmitting the data back to Earth-based stations for further study
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur contributed significantly to the development of subsystems related to light-based map generation and motion planning, showcasing the nation's technological progress