Asia Press Agency

Tag: Rover

  • Chandrayaan-3 Rover Overcomes Obstacle on Moon’s Surface

    Chandrayaan-3 Rover Overcomes Obstacle on Moon’s Surface

    During its mission on the Moon’s surface, the Chandrayaan-3 Rover encountered an obstacle on Sunday in the form of a 4-meter diameter crater. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) reported that the crater was located 3 meters ahead of the Rover’s current location. To address the situation, ISRO commanded the Rover to retrace its path and navigate around the crater. The space agency confirmed that the Rover was now safely heading on a new path to continue its mission on the lunar surface.

     

    Last week, India achieved a significant milestone by successfully landing Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon. This achievement marked India as the first country to successfully land on the far side of the lunar surface.

     

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was away for the 15th Summit, visited the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network Mission Control Complex on Saturday. He emphasized the successful expansion of the ‘Make in India’ initiative to reach the lunar landscape.

     

    During his visit, PM Modi expressed his happiness and restlessness, saying, “Today, I am feeling a different level of happiness…such occasions are very rare…this time, I was so restless…I was in South Africa but my mind was with you.”

     

    PM Modi also announced that India will observe 23 August as ‘National Space Day’ to commemorate the successful touchdown of the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lander.

     

    ISRO is closely monitoring and sharing regular updates about the Chandrayaan-3 mission, as it is currently within a crucial 14-day window. ISRO Chairman S Somanath provided reassurance about the mission’s progress, stating, “Everything is working very well. Chandrayaan3, the lander, the rover is very healthy and all the five instruments on board have been switched on. And it’s giving beautiful data now.” He mentioned that the mission is set to complete all experiments with its full capability of various modes before September 3.

     

    Somanath further explained that the mission involves testing different modes, and ISRO is excited about the detailed insights it is gaining about the Moon’s surface. The mission continues to be a source of pride and accomplishment for India’s space agency.

  • Chandrayaan-3 Mission Reaches Crucial Milestone

    Chandrayaan-3 Mission Reaches Crucial Milestone

    The Chandrayaan-3 mission has marked a significant achievement as its Lander Module carrying the rover successfully separated from the Propulsion Module. This achievement brings the mission closer to its historic goal of achieving a soft landing on the lunar south pole, scheduled for 5.47 pm on Wednesday, August 23.

     

    Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 and holds the objectives of showcasing safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, rover mobility on the moon, and conducting in-situ scientific experiments.

     

    The mission carries added significance due to lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2, where ISRO’s lander ‘Vikram’ crashed during a soft landing attempt in 2019. According to ISRO Chairman S Somanath, the most critical aspect of the landing process involves transitioning the velocity of the lander from a horizontal to a vertical direction. This complex maneuver requires careful calculations and simulations to ensure a successful landing.

     

    Explaining the technical challenge, Somanath highlighted the need to shift the velocity of the lander from its horizontal orientation to a vertical one, which was a crucial point of failure in Chandrayaan-2. The Chandrayaan-3 mission addresses this challenge with improved calculations and simulations to ensure a successful landing.

     

    Unlike its predecessor, Chandrayaan-3’s Propulsion Module carries a significant payload named SHAPE (Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth). This experimental payload aims to study Earth from the lunar orbit, analyzing spectro-polarimetric signatures in the near-infrared wavelength range. This addition enhances the scientific objectives of the mission, adding a unique dimension to India’s lunar exploration efforts.

     

    The successful completion of Chandrayaan-3’s mission would signify a major achievement for India’s space agency, ISRO. If the mission accomplishes a safe and soft landing on the moon’s surface, India will join the ranks of the US, China, and the former Soviet Union as one of the few countries to master the complex technology of lunar surface soft landings.

     

    The Chandrayaan-3 mission highlights India’s determination to overcome challenges and build upon its space exploration capabilities. It showcases the nation’s commitment to advancing scientific knowledge through space missions and contributing to humanity’s understanding of the lunar environment.