Chandrayaan 3's Vikram Lander: Resting on the Moon's surface

Photo Credit: ISRO

Vikram Lander's Current Status: The Chandrayaan 3's Vikram lander is resting on the Moon's surface, waiting for the lunar sunrise to arrive. It went into sleep mode but is expected to wake up when the sunlight returns.

Photo Credit: ISRO

The Chandrayaan 2 orbiter (flying above the Moon) took a picture of the Vikram lander on the lunar surface near the Moon's South Pole.

Photo Credit: ISRO

Scientists at ISRO are hopeful that Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover can withstand the extreme cold and start working again when the Sun rises, which is expected around September 22.

Photo Credit: ISRO/Twitter

The picture of Vikram Lander was captured by a special instrument called Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR) onboard Chandrayaan 2 Orbiter.

Photo Credit: ISRO

Radar-Based Technology: DFSAR is a radar-based system that can capture images without needing sunlight. It can also provide information about the distance and physical characteristics of objects on the Moon's surface.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

SAR Technology: SAR technology has many uses, including studying Earth and other celestial bodies. It's a powerful tool for remote sensing.

Photo Credit: ISRO

ISRO mentioned that DFSAR is a state-of-the-art instrument that provides the highest resolution polarimetric images in any planetary mission.

Photo Credit: ISRO

DFSAR's longer radar wavelength allows it to examine features beneath the lunar surface, going down to a depth of a few metres.

Photo Credit: NASA

Over the past four years, DFSAR has consistently provided valuable data by imaging the lunar surface, with a special focus on studying the Moon's polar regions.