On the 12th day of landing, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission reported that the Vikram Lander has once again successfully soft-landed on the Moon. This accomplishment surpasses the mission’s objectives, showcasing India’s prowess in lunar exploration.
The Vikram Lander’s recent feat involved a hop experiment, demonstrating its capability to elevate itself as per commands. With precision, the engines were fired, propelling the lander approximately 40 cm above the lunar surface. It then made a safe landing just 30 to 40 cm away from its initial position.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
🇮🇳Vikram soft-landed on 🌖, again!
Vikram Lander exceeded its mission objectives. It successfully underwent a hop experiment.
On command, it fired the engines, elevated itself by about 40 cm as expected and landed safely at a distance of 30 – 40 cm away.… pic.twitter.com/T63t3MVUvI
— ISRO (@isro) September 4, 2023
This achievement carries significant importance as it paves the way for future lunar missions, including sample return and even human exploration. The successful hop experiment bolsters confidence in India’s capabilities to undertake more complex lunar missions in the future.
During the experiment, all systems operated nominally, indicating their good health. Additionally, deployed instruments like the Ramp, ChaSTE, and ILSA were folded back and successfully redeployed after the experiment.
This achievement adds another chapter to India’s lunar exploration journey, marking a promising step toward more ambitious missions in the years to come. The success of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander reaffirms India’s position as a prominent player in the field of space exploration.
