Economic Times
23 Aug 2023
Robotic path planning exercise to start soon, which will be key to future deep space forays: Somanath
Bengaluru:
"The scientists who were working on this project showed a lot of interest in the South Pole as the larger objective is for human beings to set up colonies on the moon and travel beyond"
S SOMANATH
A day after India successfully landed its third lunar mission, Chandrayan-3, near the South Pole of the Moon, the Indian Space Research organisation (Isro) chief S Somanath told agencies on Thursday here that a team will soon start working on a robotic path planning exercise, which will be the key to future explorations into deep space.
Speaking on the 'Pragyan' rover, which rolled out of the lander after the successful touchdown on the lunar southside, Somanath told agencies,"Pragyan rover has two instruments, both of which are related to the elemental composition findings on the moon as well as its chemical compositions. It will also rove the lunar surface. We will also do a robotic path planning exercise, which is important for future explorations into deep space". The 'Pragyaan' rover on Thursday morning rolled out of the landing module to begin its exploration of the uncharted lunar south face, Isro informed on its official handle on X, formerly Twitter.
" The Ch-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander and India took a walk on the Moon. More updates soon," Isro posted on X.
The first picture of the six - wheeled robotic vehicle Pragyan rolling out of Vikram was shared by Pawan K Goenka, the chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), a single-window , independent nodal agency that functions as an autonomous agency in the department of space. Later in the evening, Isro posted on X that "All activities are on schedule. All systems are normal. Lander module payloads ILSA, RAMBHA and ChaSTE have been turned on today. Rover mobility operations on today. Rover mobility operartions have commenced. SHAPE payload on the propulsion module was turned on, on Sunday". ILSA (Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity) will measure seismicity around landing site and delineate the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.
PM to visit Isro, BJP Plans rousing Welcome
Bengaluru:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Bengaluru on Saturday morning to personally meet the team of scientists at Isro and share their joy on the stunning success of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.
The prime minister is in Johannesburgas part of the BRICS sumit and will fly directly from there to Bengaluru en-route to Delhi. He watched the spacecraft's descent on screen from the South African city and made a statement soon after the mission's success was announced. Modi personally called Isro director S Somanath and conveyed his happiness to the team of scientists who diligently worked on the project after the previous mission failed four years ago.
"The PM congratulated all of us and said that he wouls like to personally come down and congratulate each one of us," Somanath said. Modi is expected to land at the HAL airport at 5.30 am and will spend two hours at the Isro centre in Peenya from 8 am, sources said. The BJP has planned a rousing welcome to the PM at HAL and outside the Isro facility.