Chandrayaan-3 Rover Comes Across 4-Meter Diameter Crater on Moon’s surface

(CTN News) – In a remarkable feat, Chandrayaan-3 Rover, exploring the Moon’s surface, encountered a challenge on Sunday when it encountered a 4-meter diameter crater positioned 3 meters ahead of its planned route.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) swiftly instructed the Rover to retrace its path. Following this strategic maneuver, the Rover is now safely navigating a new trajectory.

Last week, India celebrated a historic achievement as ISRO successfully landed Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the lunar surface. Notably, India has become the first nation to achieve a successful landing on the far side of the Moon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attending the 15th Summit abroad, visited the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network Mission Control Complex on Saturday. During his visit, he emphasized the significance of ISRO’s success in extending the ‘Make in India’ initiative to the lunar landscape.

Expressing his elation, PM Modi stated, “Today, I am experiencing a profound sense of joy… such occasions are exceedingly rare… this time, even though I was in South Africa, my thoughts were with you.”

In recognition of the remarkable achievement, PM Modi announced that India would observe 23 August as ‘National Space Day’ to commemorate the triumphant landing of Chandrayaan-3’s lander.

ISRO continues to provide regular updates on the progress of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which is currently in a crucial 14-day window. ISRO Chief S Somanath affirmed that all systems were functioning optimally.

He mentioned, “Chandrayaan-3, including the lander and rover, are in excellent condition. All five onboard instruments are operational and generating valuable data.” He further added that over the next ten days leading up to September 3, ISRO aims to complete a comprehensive array of experiments across various modes.

“The mission entails testing across different modes,” Somanath elaborated, “Consequently, we now possess the most comprehensive imagery of the Moon to date.”

The Chandrayaan-3 mission stands as a testament to India’s growing prowess in space exploration and technological innovation. With each milestone achieved, the nation solidifies its position as a formidable player on the global space stage.