India’s Lunar Rover Completes Exploration Phase, Scientists Scrutinize Data for Evidence of Ice Water

India’s lunar rover has concluded its exploratory phase on the moon’s surface and has been transitioned to sleep mode, less than a fortnight following its monumental touchdown near the moon’s southern pole, according to a statement from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

“The rover has successfully concluded its designated tasks and is securely stationed in sleep mode, as the lunar daylight phase in its area concludes,” noted the ISRO in a statement released late this Saturday.

The scientific instruments onboard the rover have been deactivated, and all accumulated data have been relayed back to Earth through the lander unit, as per the statement.

Chandrayaan-3, comprising both the lander and the rover, was engineered to function for only one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days.

“The onboard battery is presently at full charge. The solar panel is positioned to maximize light absorption upon the next anticipated sunrise on September 22, 2023. The communication receiver remains activated, in anticipation of a successful reactivation for future missions,” the ISRO statement elaborated.

There has been no official revelation concerning the rover’s investigations for the presence of frozen water on the moon, which holds significant implications for future manned lunar missions as a potential source of drinkable water or for conversion into rocket propellant.

Last week, ISRO confirmed that the lunar rover had identified sulfur and several other elements on the moon. Utilizing its laser-induced spectroscope, the rover also detected elements like aluminum, iron, calcium, chromium, titanium, manganese, oxygen, and silicon on the lunar surface.

Pallava Bagla, a noted science writer and co-author of books chronicling India’s space endeavors, remarked that the rover operates on limited battery capacity. “The data is now on Earth and will initially undergo analysis by Indian scientists, subsequently to be scrutinized by the international scientific community,” Bagla stated.

Given the extreme lunar temperatures, which can plummet to below -120 C (-184 F) during lunar nights lasting 14 Earth days, it remains uncertain whether the rover will reactivate upon the next lunar sunrise. Bagla noted, “Technology to create electronic circuits resilient to the moon’s extreme cold does not yet exist in India.”

Following an unsuccessful moon landing attempt in 2019, India became the fourth nation, after the United States, the Soviet Union, and China, to successfully land on the moon last week.

The accomplishment elevates India’s status as an emerging powerhouse in technology and space research, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aspirations to position India as an ascending global player. The mission was undertaken at an estimated financial outlay of $75 million.

In a contrasting development, Russia’s Luna-25 mission, which had targeted the same lunar region, entered an uncontrolled orbit and ultimately failed, marking Russia’s first unsuccessful lunar landing after 47 years. Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia’s state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos, attributed the failure to a lack of current expertise due to the long hiatus in Russian lunar exploration since 1976.

India’s space program has been operational since the 1960s, successfully launching satellites for both domestic and international clients and establishing a satellite in Martian orbit in 2014. The nation is in the planning stages for its inaugural mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about lunar exploration

More about lunar exploration

• India’s Chandrayaan Mission: Official website of ISRO providing information on India’s Chandrayaan missions.
• Lunar Exploration: NASA’s page on lunar exploration, detailing missions and discoveries.
• Space Technology Advancements: Article on Space.com discussing India’s advancements in space technology.
• Moon Water Discovery: Scientific American article discussing evidence of water on the moon.
• Global Space Programs: Space.com’s overview of global space programs and their contributions.