After successfully completing a maneuver, the Chandrayaan 3 lander Vikram has shared the latest images of the moon. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) shared these captivating images captured by the Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1. Expressing gratitude for the achievement, ISRO posted on the social media platform X, “Thanks for the ride, mate!”
In a significant step for India’s second lunar landing attempt, the Moon module separated from its propulsion section. The IISRO confirmed the successful separation of the Chandrayaan-3’s lander module, “Mooncraft” in Sanskrit, from its propulsion module. This separation occurred six days ahead of the planned landing date set for August 23.
The series of images showcases various moon craters, with a notable highlight being the Giordano Bruno crater, recognized as one of the moon’s most recent large craters.
The propulsion module will now continue its journey in the current orbit for further study of exoplanets. The instruments onboard will gather data on Earth’s atmosphere and cloud polarization variations. The aim is to accumulate information on potential habitable Exoplanets.
The lander is expected to make a safe touchdown near the Moon’s less-explored south pole between August 23 and 24. Four years ago, the lander lost contact moments before landing during a failed endeavor.
Developed by ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 comprises a lander module named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, which respectively means “valor” and “wisdom” in Sanskrit. The mission executed with a budget of $74.6 million demonstrates India’s efficient and cost-effective space engineering.
The rover’s engineers designed its mission lifespan to last one lunar day, which is approximately equivalent to 14 Earth days. ISRO’s chief, S. Somanath, has mentioned that engineers carefully studied data from the previous failed mission and made extensive efforts to rectify the issues.
