The Moon plunges into icy obscurity as the sun dips below the horizon of Chandrayaan-3. Numerous efforts were underway, aiming to ensure the survival of the pair through the lunar night’s previous cycle. However, no response has been received from the Vikram lander.
In brief, numerous attempts were made to revive Chandrayaan-3, which successfully touched down near the Moon’s south polar region at the designated site known as Shiv Shakti Point. As the sun dips below the lunar horizon, it casts elongated shadows over this historic landing site.
With the commencement of the lunar night, an extended period of darkness spanning roughly 14 Earth days, all endeavors to revive the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover have concluded, even though their mission officially concluded a month earlier. Sunlight began to wane at Shiva Shakti Point on September 30.
Numerous efforts were underway with the hope of the lander-rover duo surviving the previous lunar night cycle. Both components had successfully completed their mission and were placed in sleep mode. Despite ongoing efforts, the European station in Kourou and ISTRAC in Bengaluru remained unresponsive to their pings.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), etched its name in history with a successful landing near the Moon’s south polar region on August 23, making India the pioneering nation to accomplish this remarkable achievement.
The chosen landing site, Shiv Shakti Point, is situated amidst the Manzinus C and Simpelius N craters, approximately 4,200 kilometers from the lunar north pole.
‘Shiv Shakti‘ was the chosen name to pay tribute to the pivotal contributions of women scientists in the mission. Sadly, the arrival of the lunar nightfall spells an unavoidable conclusion to the mission, as the unforgiving conditions render the survival of the lander and rover impossible.
Nevertheless, the mission stands as a resounding success. Both the lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyan, fulfilled their intended two-week lunar lifespan by conducting groundbreaking experiments and amassing invaluable data. Notably, Vikram operated an onboard payload known as Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE), providing the first-ever measurements of lunar soil temperature at varying depths.
The triumphant culmination of this mission is a testament to the dedication and tireless efforts of thousands of ISRO scientists and engineers.
Chandrayaan-3 has not only elevated India’s space exploration prowess but has also made a substantial contribution to worldwide lunar research. As the sun dips below the horizon at Shiv Shakti Point, signifying the conclusion of Vikram and Pragyan’s voyage, it simultaneously heralds a promising new era for forthcoming lunar missions.
The data gathered by Chandrayaan-3 will persistently undergo analysis and scrutiny, offering invaluable insights into the Moon’s south polar region, an area that has been relatively uncharted.
