The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently shared the high-resolution images of the Chandrayaan-3 lander, named Vikram, and the Pragyan rover that successfully completed their lunar mission. These breathtaking images were captured on March 15, 2024, and processed by independent researcher Chandra Tungathurthi. The new images provide significantly greater detail of the region than the initial images shared by ISRO shortly after the historic landing on August 23, 2023.
These images were captured from an altitude of 65 kilometers, which provided a higher resolution of approximately 17 centimeters per pixel. In comparison, the initial post-landing image was taken at a regular altitude of 100 kilometers with a resolution of 26 centimeters per pixel.
On March 15, 2024, the Orbital High Resolution Camera aboard Chandrayaan-2 captured a high-resolution image of the Vikram Lander of Chandrayaan-3 (outlined in red) and the Pragyan rover (outlined in blue) deployed outside and directly below. Credits go to ISRO/C.Tungathurthi.
This was achieved by lowering the orbit to 60-65 kilometers, which is significantly closer than the usual 100-kilometer orbit that offers a resolution of around 25 centimeters. The recently captured images offer an enhanced view of the Pragyan rover, which was the first to roam near the lunar south pole.
In his blog, Chandra expressed his excitement about how ISRO is expanding its capabilities beyond already impressive limits while sharing the picture.
About Chandrayaan-3 mission
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission made history on August 23, 2023, by successfully landing on the lunar south pole. It became the first country to achieve a soft landing in that region and the fourth country to softly land a spacecraft on the Moon, following the Soviet Union, the United States, and China. During the mission, the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover conducted various experiments on the Moon, contributing to our understanding of the lunar environment and paving the way for future space exploration endeavours.
Meanwhile, on April 9, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S Somanath, stated that the development of the Chandrayaan-4 mission is currently underway. He also mentioned that space research is an ongoing process and ISRO is dedicated to its lunar mission. Somanath made these comments while interacting with the media after attending the twentieth anniversary of the Sat Paul Mittal School in Ludhiana.
