Chandrayaan-3 Payloads on Sleep Mode After Hop Test on Moon; Next Awakening on Sept 22

As Chandrayaan-3 undertook a successful hop test — where the Vikram lander elevated and soft landed on the moon again — the objectives of its missions have been fulfilled and it is now set into ‘sleep mode.’

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday said that the Vikram lander had exceeded its objectives and therefore its “payloads are now switched off.”

The payloads and ramp of the lander were folded back in before performing the hop test.

Taking to X (formally Twitter), ISRO said, “Vikram Lander is set into sleep mode around 08:00 Hrs. IST today.”

“Prior to that, in-situ experiments by ChaSTE, RAMBHA-LP and ILSA payloads are performed at the new location. The data collected is received at the Earth. Payloads are now switched off. Lander receivers are kept ON,” it added.

What does the hop test do?

The hop test will help scientists in future Moon missions where samples could be brought back to Earth and more importantly help the human missions being planned, ISRO added.

The hop test can also help in the human missions as it confirmed ISRO’s ability to ‘kick-start’ the lander once again days after touching down on the lunar surface.

ISRO scientists said that after the Vikram lander carrying the Pragyan rover landed on the Moon, various experiments were conducted and the hop test was the latest.

“On command it (Vikram lander) fired the engines, elevated itself by about 40 cm as expected and landed safely at a distance of 30 to 40 cm away,” ISRO said in an update on ‘X’.

“Vikram soft-landed on the moon, again! Vikram Lander exceeded its mission objectives,” ISRO added.

After the successful hop test, Vikram and Pragyan payloads are now in a power-off mode until the south pole of the lunar surface is back in the range of the Sun again.

To be awake again on September 22

ISRO said that Vikram will fall asleep next to Pragyan once the solar power is depleted and the battery is drained. The space agency said it was “hoping for their (Vikram and Pragyan’s) awakening, around September 22, 2023.”

Scientists at ISRO said that after the Chandrayaan 3 mission landed on the lunar surface on August 23, Vikram and Pragyan performed all their planned experiments within one lunar day or approximately 14 earth days and finally after a hop test, have been put on sleep mode.

The temperatures could go up to -200 degree Celsius on the lunar surface soon. The payloads may not be able to withstand extreme temperatures while they are still powered on.

Therefore, the payloads have been switched off and will be powered on only after conditions are conducive for them to work again, an ISRO source said.