Chandrayaan-3 Video: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) released a Chandrayaan-3 video on Friday, showcasing the precise moment the rover descended from its lander onto the lunar surface.
“Everything is on schedule. All systems are normal. The lander modules, namely ILSA, RAMBHA, and ChaSTE, have been activated today. The rover’s mobility operations have commenced. The propulsion module payload was activated on Sunday,” ISRO mentioned on its ‘X’ platform.
Chandrayaan-3 Rover’s Grand Descent
The organization also released images depicting how the ‘Vikram Lander’s imager camera captured the moon just before touchdown.
Unveiling the Chandrayaan-3 Video: India’s Monumental Leap in Lunar Exploration
Watch Chandrayaan-3 Video
… … 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
Praise and Recognition
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, sharing the recently released Chandrayaan-3 video, labeled it as ‘remarkable’. A day prior, ISRO announced, “India has taken a stroll on the moon” as the Chandrayaan-3 robotic rover stepped out of the lander and started its operations, with all activities and systems functioning as expected.
This development came a day after the historic landing near the moon’s unexplored southern pole.
ISRO’s chief, Dr. S Somanath, mentioned that the Vikram lander, housing the Pragyan rover, touched down “within the identified area” on the lunar surface. The six-wheeled, 26-kilogram rover then began its exploration.
The organization further informed that all the lander module (LM) payloads have been activated, reiterating that “all activities are on schedule.”
Earlier, in a post, the space agency highlighted another successful phase of Chandrayaan-3 with the “rover ramp down,” as it continues its series of missions like Mars Orbiter Mission Mangalyaan-2, Gaganyaan manned spaceflight, and the Aditya-L1 solar mission.
India, on Wednesday, achieved a flawless soft-landing on its third unmanned lunar mission, making it the fourth nation to achieve this feat and the first to reach the moon’s mysterious southern pole.
Global Acclaim and Anticipation
As the nation basks in the glory of this stellar space achievement, senior BJP leader and former Karnataka minister R Ashok stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Bengaluru on August 26th to congratulate the ISRO scientists and officials.
Somanath mentioned that the rover movement is functioning “very well.” He further stated the landing site, defined as 4.5 km x 2.5 km, was within 300 meters from the pinpointed center, indicating its precise landing within the identified region.
Emphasizing the significance of the mission, the United Nations (UN) leadership lauded Chandrayaan-3’s success as a “giant leap” and a “great achievement” for humanity. Google also celebrated India’s success with a special animated doodle.
Chandrayaan-3’s Mission Objectives
The Pragyan rover, during its mobility sessions, will conduct in-situ chemical analyses of the lunar surface. It aims to enhance our understanding of the moon’s surface, procuring its chemical composition and estimating mineral structure through its payload APEX – Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer.
With India’s spectacular achievement, the Chandrayaan-3 video not only serves as a testament to ISRO’s capabilities but also paves the way for future space explorations, solidifying India’s position in global space endeavors.