Union Minister of State Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday informed that the ISRO making best effort to establish contact with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover but possibly because of prolonged spell of cold weather they are unable to do so.
Taking the matter to X (formerly know as Twitter) Singh wrote, “Chandrayaan 3 Update: For the last several hours, Team #ISRO making best effort to establish contact with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to ascertain their wake-up condition after the sunrise on Moon. As of now, no signal has been received from them so far.”
#Chandrayaan3 Update:
For the last several hours,Team #ISRO making best effort to establish contact with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to ascertain their wake-up condition after the sunrise on Moon.
As of now, no signal has been received from them so far. This could
1/2— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) September 22, 2023
“This could be possibly because of prolonged spell of cold weather conditions upto -150 degree C during the just concluded lunar night of 14 Earth days. However, efforts to establish contact shall continue,” He further added.
Earlier, ISRO stated that the efforts are being continuously made to establish the contact with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to ascertain their wake-up condition but till now no signals are being received from it.
The Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, located in the moon’s south polar region, are currently in a state of dormancy. Their condition is being assessed after being placed in sleep mode on September 2, following the onset of the lunar night.
It’s worth noting that a single lunar day lasts for 14 Earth days.
Taking the matter to X (formerly known as Twitter), ISRO wrote, “Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Efforts have been made to establish communication with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to ascertain their wake-up condition.”
What If Chandrayaan 3’s Lander And Rover Successfully Activate?
If the Chandrayaan 3’s lander and rover successfully activate, it would mark a significant achievement for India’s space exploration efforts. This activation would allow for the collection of valuable data from the lunar surface, particularly in the region near the South Pole. The extended operation of these components could provide insights into the moon’s surface conditions and various scientific observations.
What Will Happen If Rover Fails To Revive
However, there are significant challenges to overcome. The extreme lunar temperatures, especially near the South Pole, can plummet to as low as -200 degrees Celsius. At such frigid temperatures, many materials, including plastics, carbon power materials, and electronics, can become brittle and fail. To address these challenges, ISRO would have implemented thermal management strategies to protect the lander and rover components.
In the event that the rover fails to revive but the lander functions, it would still be considered a remarkable feat given the challenging lunar conditions. Originally designed for only 14 days of operation, any extended functionality would be a testament to ISRO’s engineering and thermal management capabilities. The successful activation of either or both components would contribute valuable data to our understanding of the moon’s environment.