India on moon: Here's what happens after Vikram lander touches down

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Chandigarh, August 23

India on Wednesday became fourth country to send a spacecraft on the moon and became the first country to land a spacecraft on south pole of the Earth’s natural satellite.

Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module comprising the lander (Vikram) and the 26-kg rover (Pragyan), made the soft landing on the moon at 6.04 pm.

The moon rover will take a few hours or a day to come out of the spacecraft, ISRO chief S Somanath told reporters after the historic landing, adding that the landing has given India confidence to extend its reach to possible voyages to Mars and Venus.

The lander and the six-wheeled rover (with total mass of 1,752 kg) are designed to operate for one lunar daylight period (about 14 Earth days).

The lander with four legs, had multiple sensors to ensure a safe touchdown, including an accelerometer, altimeters, Doppler velocimeter, inclinometer, touchdown sensor, and a suite of cameras for hazard avoidance and positional knowledge.

The lander carries the rover in a compartment with a ramp for deployment onto the surface.

The rover will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the Moon’s surface during the course of its mobility. (With agencies)