New Delhi: Roaming across the lunar surface, India’s lunar rover is etching its mark on the moon’s terrain. The rover gracefully descended from the lander, making contact with the moon’s surface around 12:30 a.m. on a Thursday. As it glides along, its presence is imprinted on the lunar landscape, shared Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair, the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
Notably, the rover’s wheels bear the insignia of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the national emblem, designed to leave a symbolic imprint as it ventures forth.
Unnikrishnan highlighted that both the rover’s solar panels and those of the lander have been successfully deployed, harnessing the power of the sun to fuel their operations.
This rover boasts a multifaceted mission, encompassing the collection of lunar samples, execution of experiments, and the transmission of valuable data back to the lander.
The moon lander, having safely touched down on the lunar surface the previous evening, serves as a vital relay, transmitting critical information to the Mission Operations Complex at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru.
When asked about the accuracy of the landing site, Unnikrishnan stated that current data aligns with the intended plans, although a comprehensive post-flight assessment will be needed to confirm this.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Updates:The communication link is established between the Ch-3 Lander and MOX-ISTRAC, Bengaluru.
Here are the images from the Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera taken during the descent. #Chandrayaan_3#Ch3 pic.twitter.com/ctjpxZmbom
— ISRO (@isro) August 23, 2023