The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) proudly announced that the Pragyan rover has successfully completed its trek on the Moon and transitioned into a sleep mode nearly two weeks after its historic landing near the lunar south pole.
The autonomous systems on the robot have been deactivated, and the data it gathered has been transmitted back to Earth via the landing station. Both the robot and the landing station of the Chandrayaan-3 mission were designed to function for just one lunar day, which is equivalent to 14 Earth days, as reported by ABC News.
“The robot has accomplished its assigned mission. Currently, it has safely halted its wheels and entered sleep mode as daylight fades at the lunar south pole,” ISRO shared in a statement on the evening of September 2. “Its batteries are now fully charged. The solar panels have been positioned to capture the next sunrise, expected on September 22, 2023. The signal receiver remains operational. We hope the robot awakens successfully for new missions.”
ISRO has not yet disclosed the results of the search for signs of frozen water on the lunar surface, which could prove invaluable for future astronaut missions, providing a source of drinking water and potential rocket fuel. Earlier this week, ISRO confirmed that the Pragyan rover had confirmed the presence of sulfur and detected several other elements. The robot’s laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy instrument also identified aluminum, iron, calcium, chromium, titanium, manganese, oxygen, and silicon on Earth’s natural satellite.
According to the Indian Express, the electronic components on the rover were not designed to withstand the extremely low nighttime temperatures on the Moon, which can plummet to -120 degrees Celsius. Lunar nights also endure for the equivalent of 14 Earth days. Pallava Bagla, an author of numerous books on India’s space exploration, noted that the rover’s limited battery capacity could pose challenges. Data transmitted back to Earth will be analyzed by Indian scientists before being shared with the international community.
When the Sun rises on the Moon, the robot may awaken, or it may not if its electronic components succumb to the frigid temperatures. Bagla remarked, “India does not yet have the technology to manufacture circuitry and electronic components capable of withstanding the deep lunar cold.”
After a failed landing attempt on the Moon in 2019, India achieved this milestone on August 23, becoming the fourth nation to do so after the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. The mission commenced over a month ago with an estimated cost of $75 million. Since the 1960s, ISRO has launched satellites for India and numerous other countries, and it sent a spacecraft to Mars’ orbit in 2014. India is planning its first mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the United States.
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