Focus is on collecting as much data as possible: ISRO on plans for Pragyan rover

'We have only about 12 days during which we have to collect as much data as possible, distinguished ISRO scientist M Sankaran told DH.

With instruments on board the Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover conducting scientific experiments near the lunar south pole, the focus is now on optimising data-gathering from around the landing site.

M Sankaran, distinguished scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and director, U R Rao Space Centre (URSC), said a comprehensive analysis of the findings will be done at a later stage. “Right now, we are only collecting the data. It needs to be analysed. The outcome will not be known immediately. We have only about 12 days during which we have to collect as much data as possible,” Sankaran told DH on Monday.

The assembly and testing of Chandrayaan-3 subsystems were undertaken at the URSC which is the lead centre for conceptualising, developing, testing, and operationalising satellites.

The failure of Chandrayaan-2 in soft-landing on the moon, in 2019, provided crucial insights that perfected India’s successful follow-up mission, Sankaran said. The failure necessitated extensive simulation and testing, leading to a series of corrective measures.

The URSC contributed to Chandrayaan-3 in the form of its thermal protection system and mechanisms required for payload systems, deployment of the rover ramp and antennae. The development of the lander’s legs was carried out at the centre. It also conducted lander drop tests in diverse conditions, at simulated lunar environments.

The Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the moon on August 23, making India the first country to access the unexplored lunar polar region.

Considering that the mission came with many firsts for India, and some for the world, problems were expected, Sankaran said. “Issues are a given in missions of this magnitude. The dedicated effort put in by the people behind the mission helped us overcome them,” he said.

With Chandrayaan-3, is India setting the tone for future space missions globally? “We are only doing what we need to do, what we have identified to the government as our projects. Our calendar is full and there is a lot of work to be done,” he said.