India’s moon rover has successfully completed its mission on the lunar surface and has entered sleep mode. The Indian Space Research Organization stated that the rover has completed its assignments and has been safely parked. It is now in sleep mode as daylight on that part of the moon has ended. The rover’s payloads have been turned off and the collected data has been transmitted back to Earth via the lander. The mission was expected to last only one lunar day, equivalent to 14 days on Earth.
According to the statement, the battery is fully charged and the solar panel is positioned to receive light at the next sunrise, expected on September 22, 2023. The receiver is still active, and there is hope for a successful awakening for another set of assignments. However, there is no information yet on the outcome of the rover’s search for frozen water on the lunar surface, which could be valuable for future astronaut missions.
Earlier this week, the rover confirmed the presence of sulfur and detected several other elements. The laser-induced spectroscope instrument also detected aluminum, iron, calcium, chromium, titanium, manganese, oxygen, and silicon on the surface. This data will be analyzed by Indian scientists and shared with the global community.
The Indian Express newspaper reported that the electronics onboard the moon mission are not designed to withstand extremely low temperatures, such as those experienced during the lunar nighttime, which can reach below minus 184 degrees Fahrenheit. The lunar night lasts for approximately 14 Earth days. Pallava Bagla, a science writer, explained that the rover has limited battery power, and it remains uncertain whether it will wake up at sunrise on the moon due to the extreme cold temperatures. He also mentioned that the technology to create electronic circuits and components capable of surviving such temperatures does not currently exist in India.
India’s successful moon landing comes after a failed attempt in 2019. With this achievement, India joins the US, the Soviet Union, and China as the fourth country to accomplish this milestone. The mission highlights India’s growing reputation as a technology and space powerhouse and aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of projecting India as a rising global power. The mission, which cost an estimated $75 million, began over a month ago. In addition to satellite launches and the Mars orbiter mission in 2014, India is planning its first mission to the International Space Station in collaboration with the United States next year.
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