Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing: After landing, rover 'Pragyan' will go for a moonwalk, what will happen to Lander 'Vikram'?

Chandrayaan 3 Moon Landing: Chandrayaan-3's moon mission is now at its last stop. It will be a buzzing environment in India as Lander Vikram takes its position at 5 p.m. before its scheduled landing on the moon at 6:04 pm on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. Indians are eagerly waiting to witness this historic moment. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed the landing preparations for Chandrayaan-3.

Once the Lander Vikram is brought to its position at 5 pm, it is from here that it will make a landing on the south pole of the moon.

If it makes a successful landing, Lander 'Vikram' and Rover 'Pragyan', which come out of the bally of the lander, will be busy for the next 14 days.

But there are many questions that are probably striking the minds of space enthusiasts across the world, such as: While Rover Pragyan will go on a moonwalk, what would happen to Lander Vikram?

What will it do on the surface of the moon?

The real work will start after landing

ISRO informed that the landing programme is running as per its scheduled time.

But the soft landing of the lander on the moon is just the halfway point of ISRO's lengthy mission.

After landing, both Lander 'Vikram' and Rover 'Pragyan' have to do the most important work of the mission.

After landing, Rover Pragyaan will come out of the belly of Vikram and start its moonwalk.

Let us first tell you about the importance of both the lander and the rover.

Lander and Rover will work in daylight

Though the landing event is garnering a lot of attention, it is not the only objective of the mission.

One of the important aspects of Chandrayaan 3's mission is to collect data from there.

The Lander and the Rover have only 14 days for research work.

Is there any reason to select the 14-day duration?

The only reason behind this decision is that the duration of one day on the moon is equal to 14 days on the earth.

The Lander and the Rover are both solar-powered.

For this reason, they have to collect all the data in the light of day.

If Rover will work, what will Vikram do?

Actually, the real work will be done by the lander itself. But the lander won't move from the place of its landing.

Rover 'Pragyan' will do all the movement on the moon's surface and collect data from wherever it passes.

The rover will communicate this data to the lander, which will send it on earth.'

Pragyan' is in the belly of 'Vikram'

After landing on the moon, 'Vikram' will wait for a while and let the dust settle.

After this, it will open its stomach, and a ramp will be laid out.

The six-wheeler 'Pragyan' will use this ramp to come down on the surface.

The rover will come out of the lander after about four hours of the landing.

The speed of the rover will also be controlled, so that it does not fall due to jolts.

Pragyan will descend at a speed of 1 centimetre per second, and with the help of a navigation camera, it will find a place for a further journey.

Don't say goodbye now...

After detaching from 'Vikram', only 'Pragyan' will move ahead.

As the rover moves forward, it will leave the imprints of India's national symbol, the Ashoka Pillar, and the logo of ISRO.

The instruments fitted in the rover's payloads will send data collected from the moon, such as lunar atmosphere, water, and mineral information, to the lander.

There are 3 payloads on the lander.

These payloads will detect the crust and mantle structures of the moon.

Apart from this, it will also collect information about the density and temperature, as well as whether earthquakes strike the moon or not.

What distance will Rover Pragyan cover?

It is premature to say how much distance the rover covers after coming on the moon's surface.

It depends on the obstacles on the path, so it will be known only when the time comes. 

The Lander and the Rover will remain on the moon for only one day.

Why will lander and rover work only during the day?

Because the temperature at the south pole of the moon goes up to minus 238 degree Celsius.

Machines do not work at such a low temperature.

However, a possibility has been expressed that after 28 days, the rover and the lander will become active again on the moon.

But, it will be known only then.

Can Chandrayaan-3's landing be postponed?

According to ISRO, August 27 has been fixed as an alternative date for the landing of Chandrayaan-3.

It will be decided two hours before landing whether it would be appropriate to take off at that time or not.