India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), revealed that it has encountered communication difficulties with its lunar lander and rover following the conclusion of a two-week lunar night. Despite these challenges, ISRO remains steadfast in its efforts to re-establish contact with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover.
The lunar lander and rover had been placed in a temporary sleep mode during the lunar night, a precautionary measure to conserve energy and ensure their functionality. ISRO initiated attempts to wake them up as the lunar day began, but communication signals have yet to be received.
ISRO’s historic moon mission marked a significant achievement for India, as it successfully executed a soft landing at the lunar south pole, becoming the first nation to do so. The Pragyan rover, deployed after the successful landing, embarked on its mission to explore the lunar surface and transmit valuable images back to Earth. According to ISRO, the rover had “completed its assignments,” while the Vikram lander had “exceeded its mission objectives.”
On September 4, ISRO announced its plan, stating that Vikram “will fall asleep next to Pragyan once the solar power is depleted and the battery is drained, with hopes for their awakening around September 22, 2023.”
Speaking on the matter, India’s Science and Technology Minister, Jitendra Singh, expressed confidence in the ISRO teams’ dedication to re-establishing contact with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover. He explained that the lack of signal reception could be attributed to the “prolonged spell of cold weather conditions up to minus 150°C (minus 238°F)” experienced during the lunar night, which may have impacted the instruments and communication equipment.
ISRO remains committed to its lunar mission and will continue its efforts to re-establish communication with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, eagerly anticipating their successful reawakening on the Moon’s surface.
