Chandrayaan 3: Lander Vikram Shares Stunning Moon Images After Separating from Spacecraft

Lander Vikram Shares First Moon Pictures Following Separation from Spacecraft

Lander Vikram of Chandrayaan 3 has unveiled its initial images of the moon today, marking a significant milestone after successfully executing a maneuver that brought it closer to its intended destination.

India’s space agency ISRO released mesmerizing images taken by the Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1, on its X, formerly known as Twitter. The collection of images showcases various craters on the lunar surface, including the Giordano Bruno crater – one of the moon’s youngest large craters.

The LI Camera-1 also captured visuals of the Harkhebi J crater, which boasts a diameter of about 43 km. These images were captured after the lander effectively disengaged from the propulsion module of the spacecraft yesterday. In a playful tone, ISRO tweeted, “Thanks for the ride, mate,” envisioning a conversation between the lander module and the spacecraft. The module is anticipated to transition to a lower orbit following a deboosting or deceleration process, bringing it closer to the moon.

In today’s phase, the Lander Module’s orbit will place its Perilune (the point closest to the Moon) at 30 kilometers and its Apolune (the farthest point from the Moon) at 100 km.

The upcoming endeavor involves the lander striving for a “soft landing” on the southern polar region of the moon on August 23. Meanwhile, the propulsion module will remain in lunar orbit, studying Earth’s atmosphere and collecting data on exoplanets potentially suitable for habitability.

After the lander’s touchdown and the lunar dust settles, the ‘Pragyaan’ rover will emerge from the Vikram Lander. Subsequently, the lander will capture images of the rover, and vice versa.

Subsequent to the moon landing, the rover will gather data about the moon’s surface composition and geology, paving the way for extensive research endeavors.