The chances of bringing Chandrayaan-3 back to life are getting smaller because the moon is about to go dark on September 30.
ISRO, the space agency, has been trying to talk to the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover since the sun came back to their location called Shiv Shakti Point. But they haven’t been able to make contact. These machines have been asleep since September 2. Now, with the lunar night starting tomorrow, it’s getting even harder to wake them up. During the lunar night, it’s super dark and freezing, with temperatures as low as minus 180 degrees Celsius.
The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover need sunlight to work properly. ISRO was hoping they could survive the tough conditions on the Moon. Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon on August 23 and sent back important information. But the lander and rover can’t come back to Earth. ISRO said, “We hope they wake up and do more tasks! If not, they’ll stay on the Moon as India’s lunar ambassadors.”
Chandrayaan-3’s Achievements
Earlier, on August 31, scientists looked at data from the lunar plasma near the south pole. They found that there isn’t much plasma there. ISRO also shared a video of the Chandrayaan-3 rover moving around, looking for a safe path. The video was taken by a camera on the lander. Meanwhile, the Pragyan Rover discovered sulfur on the lunar surface near the south pole, which is a big deal because it’s the first time we’ve found sulfur there.
Image Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/science/chandrayaan-3/story/chandrayaan-3-moon-landing-successful-whats-next-pragyan-vikram-lander-2425611-2023-08-23