India: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that the rover Pragyan from the Chandrayaan-3 mission has finished its tasks and has been put in sleep mode. The ISRO shared this update on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Currently, the battery is fully charged. The solar panel is oriented to receive light at the next sunrise, expected on September 22, 2023. The receiver is kept on,” ISRO stated.
“Hoping for a successful awakening for another set of assignments. Else, it will forever stay there as India’s lunar ambassador,” the space agency said.
The 26-kilogram, six-wheeled rover named Pragyan is solar-powered and has scientific instruments to analyze the composition of lunar soil and rocks in the south polar region where Chandrayaan-3’s lander, Vikram, landed.
ISRO mentioned that the APXS and LIBS payloads have been deactivated, and the data collected from these payloads is sent to Earth through the lander Vikram.
The APXS instrument is ideal for analyzing the elemental makeup of soil and rocks on celestial bodies with minimal atmospheres, like the Moon. Through APXS observations, researchers have identified not only the anticipated major elements like aluminium, silicon, calcium, and iron but also intriguing minor elements such as sulfur.
The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) tool on the rover has verified the existence of sulfur.
The Chandrayaan-3 Moon Mission was launched on July 14, 2023. It entered the moon’s orbit three weeks after its launch. India created history by landing on the South Pole of the Moon on August 23, 2023.
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