India’s Moon Lander and Rover Enter Sleep Mode:
After successfully performing a hop maneuver, India’s lunar lander Vikram was placed into sleep mode, according to the Indian space agency.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) reported, “Vikram Lander entered sleep mode at approximately 08:00 Hrs. IST today. Prior to that, in-situ experiments were conducted by ChaSTE, RAMBHA-LP, and ILSA payloads at the new location. The collected data has been transmitted to Earth, and the payloads have been powered off. The lander’s receivers, however, remain operational.”
ISRO further stated, “Vikram will enter sleep mode alongside Pragyan (the moon rover) once its solar power is depleted and its battery drained, with hopes for their reawakening around September 22, 2023.”
Previously, ISRO had confirmed Vikram’s soft landing on the lunar surface for the second time.
ISRO shared on its platform, “Vikram Lander successfully completed its mission objectives, including a successful hop experiment. It fired its engines as commanded, achieved an expected elevation of about 40 cm, and safely landed at a distance of 30 to 40 cm.”
According to the space agency, this achievement is a promising step towards future lunar sample return missions and human missions to the moon.
ISRO stated that all systems performed as anticipated and are in excellent condition. The deployed Ramp, ChaSTE, and ILSA were successfully folded back and redeployed after the experiment.”
Previously, ISRO had shared a video on the social media platform, X, showing the moon rover Pragyan in motion, likening it to a child playing joyfully while being watched by its mother.
On September 2, ISRO placed the 26 kg moon rover Pragyan into sleep mode, stating that it had completed its assigned tasks. The rover is safely parked, with its APXS and LIBS payloads turned off. Data from Payloads Transmitted to Earth through Lander. The rover’s battery is fully charged, and its solar panel is oriented to receive sunlight at the next sunrise, expected on September 22, 2023. The receiver remains active, with hopes for a successful reawakening for further tasks. Alternatively, it will stay on the moon, serving as India’s lunar representative.
ISRO plans to wake up both the lander and the rover with a ‘Suprabhatam’ (Sanskrit morning prayer to awaken Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati) or a wake-up call on September 22.
India achieved a significant milestone on August 23 when its lander safely touched down on the lunar surface, followed by the rover conducting experiments. ISRO reported that the rover has detected the presence of oxygen, aluminum, sulfur, and other materials near the lunar south pole, with ongoing investigations into the presence of hydrogen.
Also read: Release Date Confirmed for ‘Rules Ranjann
