NEW DELHI, Sept 3 (Reuters) – India has switched off its lunar rover, the first probe to reach the moon’s south pole, after a two-week mission conducting experiments, the country said. announced by the space agency.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said in a post on He said the machine was on.
“We wish Awakening success for its next mission!” Isro said. “Otherwise, it will remain there forever as India’s lunar ambassador.”
By landing on the moon, India joined the ranks of the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union. Shortly after Russia’s Luna 25 crashed on a similar attempt, it surpassed them and reached the rugged South Pole.
The textbook soft touchdown of Chandrayaan-3, which failed in 2019, sparked widespread jubilation in the world’s most populous country. The media hailed the landing as India’s greatest scientific feat.
ISRO said Pragian traveled more than 100 meters and confirmed the presence of sulfur, iron, oxygen and other elements on the lunar surface.
Now, India is hoping for success with a probe launched on Saturday to study the sun, observing solar winds that cause disturbances on Earth commonly seen as auroras.
ISRO said on Sunday that the “satellite is healthy” and in orbit around Earth, preparing for a 1.5 million kilometer (930,000 mile) journey.
Report by Arpan Chaturvedi.Editing: William Mallard
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