Pragyan Rover revival chances good! Vikram Lander? Former ISRO scientist reveals

As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) strives to awaken Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander and Pragyan rover after nearly two weeks in ‘sleep mode,’ there is some optimism. Pragyan Rover has a good chance of being revived from its death sleep! Former ISRO scientist and Padma Shri awardee Mylswamy Annadurai offers insights into the fraught Chandrayaan-3 mission situation.

The cute dog-sized Pragyan rover may well start functioing. “I am pretty hopeful about Pragyan because it has been tested. But, with respect to the Lander, we will have to wait and see,” Mylswamy Annadurai, former ISRO Scientist.

Nilesh M Desai, the Director of the Space Applications Centre (SAC), a prominent division of ISRO, disclosed that the revival of the lander and rover is an automatic process and cannot be remotely activated from Earth. The spacecraft, powered by solar energy, is expected to send signals once it’s fully charged due to the recent lunar sunrise on September 22. However, as of now, no signals have been received, and efforts to reestablish contact with Vikram and Pragyan are ongoing.

Desai further explained, “Efforts are underway to establish contact with the Lander and the Rover. It will automatically revive and send signals. Till now, no signals have come.”

Both the Vikarm lander and the Pragyan rover were placed in sleep mode on September 4 and 2, respectively, in preparation for the lunar night on Earth’s natural satellite. Desai noted that with a 50-50 chance of revival, success hinges on the survival of the spacecraft’s electronics in the freezing temperatures on Moon. He added, “Otherwise, Chandrayaan-3 mission has already accomplished its objectives.” If the lander and rover do wake up, experiments on the Moon’s surface will continue.

Chandrayaan-3’s lander, Vikram, achieved a historic touchdown on the uncharted lunar South Pole on August 23, following a 40-day journey into space. After covering over 100 metres on the moon’s surface from the Shiv Shakti Point, where it initially touched down, the rover Pragyan was safely placed in sleep mode on September 2. In fact, Vikram even did a ‘hop’ test on the Moon successfully and the lessons from that will be used in future lunar missions.

In short, As the world watches and hopes for the successful revival of the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, ISRO remains committed to its mission to explore the mysteries of the moon and beyond.