Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday said that Pragyan Rover began its moonwalk on the lunar surface. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), ISRO said, “Chandrayaan-3 Mission. Chandrayaan-3 Rover to MOX, ISTRAC, Moon walk begins!”
Lunar rover ‘Pragyan’ slid down a ramp from the lander of India’s spacecraft within hours of its historic touch-down near the moon’s south pole, Indian space officials said Thursday, as the country celebrated its new scientific accomplishment.
“India took a walk on the moon,” the state-run Indian Space Research Organization said, adding that the Chandrayan-3 Rover would conduct experiments over 14 days, including an analysis of the mineral composition of the lunar surface.
Taking to X (Former Twitter), ISRO said,” Chandrayaan-3 Mission: All activities are on schedule. All systems are normal. Lander Module payloads ILSA, RAMBHA and ChaSTE are turned ON today. Rover mobility operations have commenced. SHAPE payload on the Propulsion Module was turned ON on Sunday.”
Chandrayaan-3 Rover to MOX, ISTRAC, Moon walk begins!
Earlier today ISRO also released the images of the Lander Imager Camera which captured the moon’s image just before the touchdown on the lunar surface.
“Here is how the Lander Imager Camera captured the moon’s image just prior to touchdown,” ISRO posted on X.
After a 40-day journey into space, the Chandrayaan-3 lander, ‘Vikram’, touched down on the uncharted lunar South Pole on Wednesday evening, making India the first country to do so.
India also became only the fourth nation after the US, Russia and China to successfully conduct a lunar landing mission.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft put down the Vikram lander on the lunar surface, tilting to a horizontal position ahead of landing.
The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14.