Hyderabad: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) shared a video of the Pragyan Rover ramping down from the Vikram Lander after landing on the Moon, on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023.
"Here is how Chandrayaan-3 Rover ramped down from Lander to Lunar surface," the ISRO wrote sharing the video in X, formerly known as Twitter.
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... ... and here is how the Chandrayaan-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander to the Lunar surface. pic.twitter.com/nEU8s1At0W
— ISRO (@isro) August 25, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">... ... and here is how the Chandrayaan-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander to the Lunar surface. pic.twitter.com/nEU8s1At0W
— ISRO (@isro) August 25, 2023... ... and here is how the Chandrayaan-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander to the Lunar surface. pic.twitter.com/nEU8s1At0W
— ISRO (@isro) August 25, 2023
The 26 kg six-wheeled rover descended from the lander's belly on to the Moon's surface, using one of its side panels which acts as a ramp.
The Pragyan rover will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.
It would study the surface of the Moon through its payloads APXS (Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer) to determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.
Another payload on the rover, the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS), will derive the chemical composition and infer mineralogical composition to further enhance understanding of the lunar surface.
The Moon's south pole region is also being explored because there is a possibility of water being present in permanently shadowed areas around it, according to ISRO officials.
The rover will send the data to the lander which will then send it to Earth.
On Wednesday, the Vikram Lander touched down near the south pole of the Moon at 6.03 pm, successfully completing one of the Chandrayaan-3 mission's stated objectives of soft landing on lunar surface. Hours later, Pragyan Rover rolled out of the Vikram Lander. (with PTI inputs)
