THE moon rover of India's Chandrayaan-3 exited the spacecraft on Thursday (24) to begin exploring the surface of the lunar south pole and conducting experiments, and was braced for new challenges, the space agency chief said.
The spacecraft landed on the unexplored south pole of the moon on Wednesday, making India the first country to achieve this feat just days after Russia's Luna-25 failed in a similar mission.
The soft, textbook touchdown by the lander after a failed attempt in 2019 sparked widespread jubilation and celebration in the world's most populous country. The media hailed the historic landing as India's biggest scientific feat.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S Somanath said the lander and the rover were in good condition, and "both are working very well" but the experiments were yet to start.
"All activities are on schedule. All systems are normal," ISRO posted on X, formerly Twitter. "Rover mobility operations have commenced."
The rover, named "Pragyan", has two instruments to conduct element and chemical composition experiments, and a robotic path planning exercise for future exploration.
Chandrayaan means "moon vehicle" in Hindi and Sanskrit. The rover is expected to remain functional for two weeks, or one lunar day, the period of time its solar-powered equipment is built to last.
Somanath said there were "many issues" on the moon's surface that ISRO will experience for the first time, especially lunar dust and temperatures that could impact moving parts.
"The mechanisms, the moving items...can get entangled with the dust there. It can get into the moving parts and jam them, the bearings of the system may not work, the motors may not work," he told the CNN News 18 TV channel.
Lunar dust is different from that on the surface of earth and in the absence of air on the moon, it could stick to materials of the rover, impacting its operation, he said.
"All this creates problems in those mechanisms...so let us see how it goes," the scientist said. "We will face it...that’s why we are exploring. If everything is known, what is the fun in doing it?"
Accomplished with a budget of about 6.15 billion rupees ($75 million), this was India's second attempt to touch down on the moon. A previous mission in 2019, Chandrayaan-2, successfully deployed an orbiter but its lander crashed.
The moon's rugged south pole is coveted because of its water ice, or frozen water, which could prove to be a source of fuel, oxygen, and drinking water for future missions, but its rough terrain makes landing challenging.
People across the country tuned in to watch the landing on Wednesday, with nearly 7 million people viewing the YouTube live stream alone.
Prayers were held at places of worship, and schools organised live screenings for students.
Besides boosting India's standing as a space power and its reputation for cost-competitive space engineering, the landing is also seen as a major moment of national pride.
(Reuters)
Dharavi slum in Mumbai
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)