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.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has obtained magnificent high-resolution photographs of the Chandrayaan-3 lander, Vikram, and the Pragyan rover resting on the lunar surface following their successful mission.
The latest photographs, taken on March 15, 2024 and analyzed by independent researcher Chandra Tungathurthi, reveal the terrain in far better detail than the original images released by ISRO immediately after the historic landing on August 23, 2023.
This most recent batch of photographs were collected at a lower altitude of roughly 65 kilometers, allowing for a resolution of about 17 centimetres per pixel, as opposed to the initial post-landing image captured at the typical height of 100 kilometers, which had a resolution of 26 centimetres per pixel.
When comparing the two sets of photographs, the resolution difference is immediately noticeable. The improved resolution allows for a more detailed look of the Pragyan rover, a small Indian rover that was the first to travel close the lunar south pole.
It is now clear that ISRO is improving its capabilities by capturing the Moon's surface at unprecedented resolution levels of 16-17 centimetres, which it accomplished by lowering its orbit to 60-65 kilometres — significantly closer than the standard 100-kilometre orbit, which provides a resolution of around 25 centimetres.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which successfully landed on the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023, was a watershed moment for India, making it 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.
The Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover performed numerous experiments on the Moon for 14 Earth days, contributing to our understanding of the lunar environment and paving the way for future space exploration endeavours.