Pragyan Rover sleeping on Moon: How many days to go till ISRO wakes it up?

Photo Credit: NASA

 Chandrayaan 3 mission is expected to continue after Pragyan Rover is woken up by ISRO from its sleep during the next sunrise on the Moon’s south pole.

Photo Credit: ISRO

During ISRO's Chandrayaan 3 mission, the small dog-sized Pragyan Rover landed on the Moon successfully on August 23, 2023. However, Pragyan rover is now in sleep mode till the next sunrise on the Moon.

Photo Credit: ISRO

The Chandrayaan-3 mission took three trials.It took ISRO 4 years of effort to develop, strategize and carry out the mission that involved the propulsion module, Pragyan rover and Vikram lander.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

The Pragyan Rover successfully studied the lunar surface for 14 days on the Moon’s south pole when sunlight was present. 

Photo Credit: ISRO

Pragyan rover made various new discoveries that stunned scientists all over the world and now it is expected to do the same from September 22, 2023 - if it ever wakes up.

Photo Credit: ISRO

Right now the lander and Pragyan Rover are in sleep mode due to the lunar night. Scientists hope that they will be reactivated in four days, on September 22, as the sun rises on the south pole.

Photo Credit: ISRO

Notably, the awakening of Pragyan rover is highly unlikely as the temperature during the lunar night dips lower than -200 degrees Celcius.

Photo Credit: ISRO

Pragyan Rover is not equipped with the right heating mechanisms to keep it alive in such terrible conditions. However, scientists have hopes that it will be able to work again.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

The Pragyan rover was put into sleep mode on September 2, 2023, along with its two payloads.  named Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

Photo Credit: Pixabay

ISRO kept the receiver of Pragyan rover active to keep track of its vitals. So, when will ISRO wake Pragyan up from its sleep? 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

In just four days! We will then know if the Chandrayaan-3 mission continues. or if Pragyan Rover will be forever the Indian ambassador on the Moon.

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