In a significant update, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that the rover ‘Pragyaan’ of Chandrayaan 3 has successfully concluded its tasks on the lunar surface and has entered a sleep mode. This development comes shortly after ISRO Chief S Somanath confirmed that both the lunar mission’s rover, ‘Pragyaan,’ and lander, ‘Vikram,’ were operating optimally and would be transitioned into a “sleep” mode to endure the lunar night.
According to ISRO’s official statement on the social media platform X, “The Rover completed its assignments. It is now safely parked and set into Sleep mode. APXS and LIBS payloads are turned off. Data from these payloads is transmitted to the Earth via the Lander.”
Currently, the rover’s battery is fully charged, and its solar panel has been aligned to capture the incoming light during the upcoming sunrise, anticipated on September 22, 2023.
ISRO expressed hope for a successful reawakening of the rover for another round of assignments, adding a touch of sentiment to the message: “Else, it will forever stay there as India’s lunar ambassador.”
Earlier in the day, S Somanath, ISRO’s Chief, shared that the rover had covered a distance of nearly 100 meters from the lander. He further explained, “And we are going to start the process of making both of them sleep in the coming one or two days because they have to withstand the night.”
As ‘Pragyaan’ rests in its sleep mode, it stands as a symbol of India’s remarkable accomplishments in lunar exploration, contributing to the country’s reputation as a pioneering force in space exploration and technology.