ISRO's exciting Chandrayaan-3 mission is set to land on the moon's surface after a 40-day journey. Building on Chandrayaan-2's mission, Chandrayaan-3 aims to demonstrate safe landing, rover exploration, and on-site scientific experiments on the lunar terrain.
Scheduled for August 23, around 6:04 pm, Chandrayaan 3's Lander Module will gently touch down on the moon. This module comprises the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, equipped with experiment payloads for lunar research.
Details about the Lander and Rover: The Vikram lander is engineered to softly land at a designated lunar spot and deploy the mobile Pragyan rover. Pragyan will carry out on-site chemical analyses during its exploration.
Following the landing, a side panel of Vikram will unfold, creating a ramp for Pragyan to descend onto the moon's surface after four hours, cruising at a pace of 1 cm per second. Vikram Lander, along with Pragyan and payloads, weighs over 1700 kg.
Lander payloads encompass Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure temperature and thermal conductivity; Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for seismicity measurement; Langmuir Probe for plasma density assessment. The Lander also carries a payload from NASA.
Meanwhile, Pragyan rover is armed with payloads to provide data about lunar conditions. It communicates with the lander, which then transmits information to Earth.
Why Vikram and Pragyan names?
Vikram, the lander's name, honors Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary behind India's space endeavors. His legacy includes founding ISRO, elevating India to space exploration. His name symbolises progress.
Pragyan, the rover's moniker, signifies wisdom. It operates post-landing, collecting data from five scientific instruments onboard the lander and rover. Both devices endure harsh lunar conditions, including chilling -238°C during nights.
Read more: DNA Explainer: Chandrayaan-3's lunar landing and rover mission; what to expect on moon
