The Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram lander, which entered sleep mode on Monday, has been photographed by the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter. The lander can be observed resting on the lunar surface near the Moon’s South Pole, awaiting the arrival of sunlight. There is hope that when sunlight returns, the lander will reawaken, provided it can withstand the harsh cold conditions.
The image of Chandrayaan 3’s lander, shared by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was taken by the Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR) instrument onboard the Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter on Wednesday.
Scientists at ISRO are optimistic that the Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover will endure the extremely cold conditions and become operational when the Sun rises again on the Moon, anticipated around September 22.
The Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter captured the Vikram Lander even during the lunar night. The orbiter uses a SAR instrument that emits microwaves in the L- and S-band frequencies and receives the reflected signals from the surface. As a radar-based system, ISRO explained in a statement that it can target and capture images without relying on sunlight. The space agency added that this technology can provide both the distance and physical characteristics of target features.
SAR technology has various applications, including remote sensing of Earth and other celestial bodies.
ISRO noted, “DFSAR state-of-the-art instrument provides the highest resolution polarimetric images currently available in any planetary mission.”
The longer radar wavelength of DFSAR enables it to examine lunar subsurface features down to depths of a few meters. Over the past four years, DFSAR has consistently provided high-quality data through its imaging of the lunar surface, with a primary focus on lunar polar science.
Chandrayaan 2 mission: A partially successful mission. The Chandrayaan 2 mission, launched in 2019, had a similar objective as the Chandrayaan 3, but the lander crash-landed during its soft landing attempt. Nevertheless, the orbiter remains fully operational, as recent data demonstrates. The orbiter also played a crucial role in supporting the third lunar mission by aiding in landing procedures and facilitating two-way communication for the Vikram lander to connect with ground stations.
