New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released new footage from its Chandrayaan-3 mission, capturing an important maneuver performed by the Vikram lander on the lunar surface, IndiaToday reported. The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lander has been named after Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971), who is widely regarded as the father of the Indian space programme.
The recently added series of images to ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 data repository showcases the lander retracting its ramp in preparation for a hop experiment, followed by its landing and the redeployment of the ramp.
ISRO has made these datasets accessible through its Policy-based Data Retrieval, Analytics, Dissemination, and Notification(PRADAN) system, enabling researchers around the globe to access and analyze the findings from the mission.
Users on the social media platform X have shared photos transformed into a video, showcasing the Vikram lander’s ramp retracting from Chandrayaan-3. Newly uploaded frame on ISRO’s Chandrayaan 3 Data repository show the rover ramp retraction in preparation for Vikram’s “Hop” Test on 2nd September 2023 and then re-deployment of the ramp post the test.
Below is the short video made from the frames. pic.twitter.com/rTulPACcs0
— Vikranth (@VikranthJonna) October 12, 2024
In a monumental achievement that garnered praise from across the globe, Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, successfully accomplished a soft landing on the moon’s south pole in 2023.
The retraction of the ramp was a crucial step prior to the hop experiment, which showcased the lander’s capability to take off and land again on the lunar surface. This maneuver aimed to assess the vehicle’s systems and collect data to inform future lunar missions.
According to the Live Hindustan Hindi report, researchers from the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, along with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), stated that this crater was formed during the Nectarian period, which is approximately 3.85 billion years old and represents one of the earliest epochs in the moon’s history.
The data, comprising over 55 gigabytes of information from the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, is anticipated to make a significant contribution to lunar research and future exploration initiatives.
