SOURCE: AFI
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Saturday that its Pragyan Rover, part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, has reached the south pole of the Moon. The rover has covered over 100 meters and continues to explore the lunar surface.
One significant discovery made by Pragyan Rover is the confirmation of the presence of sulphur in the lunar region, detected using a unique technique. ISRO shared a touching analogy on Twitter, comparing the rover’s movements to a playful child exploring the lunar landscape while the mother, in this case, ISRO, watches affectionately.
A video was also released by ISRO, showcasing an automated hinge mechanism rotating the rover’s Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) to a position just five centimeters above the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, comprises three modules: the propulsion module that carried the lander and rover to a lunar orbit, the lander module responsible for the soft landing, and the rover module for lunar surface exploration.
On August 25, the rover successfully descended from the Vikram lander to the lunar surface.
India achieved a historic milestone on August 23 when the Chandrayaan-3’s lander module touched down on the Moon’s south pole, making India the fourth country, after the United States, China, and Russia, to achieve this feat.
ISRO’s continuous efforts in lunar exploration and discoveries further our understanding of the Moon’s composition and contribute to the global scientific community’s knowledge of Earth’s celestial neighbor.