Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled for an early morning visit to the Indian Space Research Organisation\’s Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Centre (ISTRAC) situated in Bengaluru\’s Peenya industrial area on Saturday. The objective of this visit is to convey his congratulations to the scientists for the successful landing of the Vikram lander on the lunar surface.
During this visit, PM Modi is anticipated to address the team of scientists who played a pivotal role in the ambitious unmanned lunar mission, engaging in discussions regarding ISRO\’s forthcoming initiatives.
An advisory regarding traffic has already been issued for the roads leading to the ISRO facility. Restrictions have been imposed on roads in the northern region of Bengaluru leading to the facility, as well as on roads in the eastern and central parts of the city leading to the HAL airport, from 6:30 am to 9:30 am.
Following an impressive 40-day journey, the lander module performed an impeccable soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23, as meticulously planned. This triumph propelled India into the esteemed ranks of being the fourth nation to achieve such a remarkable feat, and notably the first to achieve a successful touchdown on the uncharted southern pole of the Moon.
Virtual attendance from Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was attending the BRICS summit, allowed PM Modi to witness the Vikram lander\’s touchdown. During his virtual address, he conveyed, \”Observing such historic moments fills us with profound pride. This event marks the dawn of a renewed India.\”
The Chandrayaan-3 mission\’s success is a significant stride in ISRO\’s space endeavors, with the mission\’s milestone launched on July 14 from Andhra Pradesh\’s Sriharikota through the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) missile. The mission carried both a propulsion module and a lander module.
The lander module, comprising the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover, performed a triumphant soft landing. Subsequent to this successful landing, the rover payload will undertake on-site chemical analysis of the lunar surface. Both the rover and lander payloads are equipped to conduct experiments in that lunar environment.
A noteworthy event occurred on Wednesday, as the Pragyan rover descended from the Vikram lander and embarked on its inaugural moonwalk. Utilizing a two-segment ramp, the rover safely descended to the lunar surface. Equipped with a solar panel for power generation, the rover\’s activities were documented through multiple videos subsequently shared by ISRO.
Following the touchdown, the mission is projected to continue for one lunar day, corresponding to approximately 14 Earth days.
Chandrayaan-3 serves as a subsequent mission, following the Indian space agency\’s second lunar endeavor, aimed at showcasing a comprehensive capability for secure landing and roving on the lunar surface.
Throughout its journey, the Landing Imager Camera, affixed to the Vikram lander, transmitted a diverse range of images of the Moon from varying perspectives, including video clips. After the successful soft landing, ISRO unveiled a closer glimpse of the unexplored southern regions of the Moon.
