India’s Chandrayaan mission has been making headlines with its ambitious lunar exploration. Recently, the spacecraft and its rover, Pragyan, have been inactive on the Moon for a couple of weeks. The Moon is a tough place to explore because a single night there lasts 14 Earth days, and during this time, temperatures drop to extremely cold levels. Without power, the rover and its lander might not function, but there’s a small chance they could come back to life when the Sun rises again.
The Chandrayaan mission was a big deal for several reasons. It was India’s first successful landing on the Moon, and it was done on a budget of just $75 million, which is less than half of what China spent on its lunar rover. The mission had only 14 days to conduct experiments in a part of the Moon that scientists don’t know much about.
To understand what happened to the Pragyan rover, we need to look at where it landed. Recently, many space agencies have been interested in the Moon’s South Pole because they believe there might be ice under the surface. This ice could be used for drinking water and rocket fuel. The poles are even colder than other parts of the Moon, with temperatures dropping to as low as -250 degrees Celsius in some places.
Although Chandrayaan didn’t land exactly at the South Pole, it still faced very cold temperatures and the challenges of the long lunar night. The Moon orbits Earth every 28 days, with one side always facing us. For 14 days, this side is lit by the Sun, followed by 14 days of darkness. The rover had to work quickly during the daylight period. It used solar panels to generate power and communicated with Earth by sending data to the lander, which then relayed it to an orbiter.
The rover had to survive temperatures as low as -200 degrees Celsius during the lunar night. It has a small battery, but it’s not enough to keep it running for the entire two weeks. Without power, it can’t operate its heaters, which are crucial for keeping its electronics working. Unlike China’s rover, which uses a special heating unit that is expensive, India’s rover had to go into a sleep mode to conserve energy.
Despite these challenges, India’s 14 days on the Moon were a big success. The rover used a laser to study the lunar surface and found elements like aluminum, sulfur, iron, silicon, and oxygen. These could be useful for future missions. One of the coolest experiments involved drilling a temperature sensor into the Moon’s surface. Scientists expected the surface to be around 20 degrees Celsius, but the rover found it to be much hotter at about 60 degrees. Just 8 centimeters below the surface, the temperature dropped to -10 degrees, showing a big temperature change.
Before the lunar night began, engineers positioned the rover’s solar panel to face the direction where the Sun would rise. On September 3rd, both the rover and lander were put into sleep mode. After some time, their batteries ran out, and they stopped communicating with Earth.
Now, both vehicles have been enduring the harsh lunar night for two weeks, and the Sun is expected to rise soon. If the electronics have survived, the solar panel will recharge the battery, and the rover will try to communicate with the lander, which will then send the signal to Earth. Our receivers will be ready to listen for that signal.
If Chandrayaan survives this period, it will be an amazing achievement, allowing the rover to continue exploring the Moon. Even if the signal doesn’t come through, this mission will be remembered as humanity’s first venture into the Moon’s South Pole.
Lastly, congratulations to Matt Thomford, the winner of the previous giveaway! In the next video, there will be a chance to win a LEGO Perseverance rover. To enter, sign up at the link provided, like the video, and comment on what inspired your interest in spaceflight. Thank you for watching, and see you in the next video!
Design and build a model of the Pragyan rover using materials like cardboard, plastic bottles, and other recyclable items. Focus on replicating the rover’s solar panels and wheels. This hands-on activity will help you understand the rover’s structure and how it operates on the Moon’s surface.
Conduct an experiment to simulate the extreme temperature changes on the Moon. Use a heat lamp to represent the Sun and an ice bath to mimic the cold lunar night. Measure the temperature changes and discuss how these conditions affect the rover’s functionality.
Choose a lunar mission from any country and create a presentation about its objectives, challenges, and discoveries. Compare it with the Chandrayaan mission to understand different approaches to lunar exploration.
Work in groups to design a hypothetical lunar base near the Moon’s South Pole. Consider factors like temperature regulation, energy sources, and resource utilization. Present your design to the class and explain how it could support human life.
Imagine you are the Pragyan rover. Write a diary entry describing your experiences on the Moon, including the challenges of the lunar night and the excitement of discovering new elements. This creative writing exercise will help you empathize with the mission’s challenges.
The Chandrayaan spacecraft and its rover have been inactive on the Moon for a couple of weeks. The Moon is an incredibly harsh environment, with a single night lasting 14 Earth days, meaning the rover and its electronics must endure extremely cold temperatures. Without power to keep it operational, the rover and its lander are likely non-functional. However, when sunlight returns, there is a small chance they could reactivate.
The Chandrayaan mission was remarkable in many ways. With only 14 days of operational time, it conducted experiments in a region of the Moon that is not well understood. Not only was it India’s first successful lunar landing, but it was also achieved on a very modest budget, costing just $75 million—less than half of what China spent on its lunar rover.
To understand the fate of the Pragyan rover, we need to consider its location. In recent years, space agencies have been competing to explore the Moon’s South Pole, which is believed to contain ice just beneath the surface that could be used for drinking water and rocket fuel. The poles of the Moon are even more hostile than other areas, with the coldest recorded temperature in our Solar System found in Hermite Crater near the Moon’s north pole, reaching an astonishing -250 degrees Celsius.
Although Chandrayaan did not land directly at the South Pole, it still faces significantly lower temperatures and the challenges of lunar night. The Moon orbits Earth every 28 days, with one side always facing us. For 14 days, this side is illuminated by the Sun, followed by 14 days of darkness. Therefore, the rover had to work quickly once it landed. Upon landing, it positioned its solar array to face the Sun, generating about 50 watts of power, sufficient for movement at around 1 cm per second. The rover communicates with Earth by sending data to the lander, which then relays it to an orbiter. This means the rover must remain within 500 meters of the lander to maintain communication.
The rover operates largely autonomously, with the Indian team directing its movements while it navigates safely using two front cameras to avoid obstacles. This system proved effective when it avoided a 4-meter-wide crater early in the mission.
To survive the lunar night, the rover must endure temperatures as low as -200 degrees Celsius for two weeks. It has a small 10 amp-hour battery, which is insufficient for the entire duration. Without power, it cannot operate its heaters, which are essential for keeping its electronics functional. Due to budget constraints, the rover’s electronics were not designed to withstand the extreme cold of the lunar night, leaving its survival uncertain.
In contrast, China’s rover is equipped with a Radioisotope Heating Unit (RHU) that uses plutonium-238 to generate heat during the lunar night, but this technology is costly. Consequently, India’s rover had to enter a dormant state.
Despite these challenges, India’s 14 days on the Moon were a significant success. The rover utilized a laser detector to analyze the lunar surface, identifying elements such as aluminum, sulfur, iron, silicon, and oxygen—valuable resources for potential future lunar missions.
One of the most impressive experiments conducted by Chandrayaan involved drilling a temperature sensor 10 centimeters into the lunar surface. Scientists anticipated a surface temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius, but the rover discovered it to be much hotter at approximately 60 degrees. Just 8 centimeters below the surface, the temperature dropped to -10 degrees, indicating a significant temperature gradient.
Conducting experiments on the Moon’s surface is invaluable, and only India and China have achieved this in the 21st century. In addition to searching for oxygen and sulfur, Pragyan is also looking for hydrogen, which could indicate the presence of ice beneath the surface.
Before the lunar night began, engineers positioned the rover’s solar panel to face the expected sunrise direction. On September 3rd, both the rover and lander were put into sleep mode. After some time, their batteries were depleted, and communication with Earth ceased.
As of now, both vehicles have been enduring the harsh lunar night for two weeks, with the Sun expected to rise soon. If the electronics have survived, the solar panel will recharge the battery, and the rover will attempt to communicate with the lander, which will then relay the signal to Earth. Our receivers will be ready to listen for that signal.
If Chandrayaan has survived this period, it will be a remarkable achievement, allowing the rover to continue its exploration of the Moon. Even if the signal does not come through, this mission will be remembered as humanity’s first venture into the Moon’s South Pole.
Lastly, congratulations to Matt Thomford, the winner of the previous giveaway! In the next video, we will be giving away a LEGO Perseverance rover. To enter, sign up at the link below, like the video, and comment on what inspired your interest in spaceflight. Thank you for watching, and see you in the next video!
Moon – The natural satellite of the Earth, visible mainly at night by reflected light from the sun. – The moon affects the tides on Earth due to its gravitational pull.
Rover – A vehicle designed to explore the surface of a planet or moon. – The Mars rover sent back valuable data about the planet’s surface and atmosphere.
Lunar – Relating to the moon. – The lunar eclipse was a spectacular event that could be seen from many parts of the world.
Temperatures – The degree of heat present in a substance or object, often measured in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit. – The temperatures on the moon can vary drastically between day and night.
Solar – Relating to or determined by the sun. – Solar panels on the spacecraft provide energy by converting sunlight into electricity.
Ice – Frozen water, a solid state of water found in cold environments. – Scientists are interested in the ice found at the moon’s poles as it could be a source of water for future missions.
Exploration – The action of traveling in or through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it. – Space exploration has led to many discoveries about our solar system and beyond.
Mission – A specific task or duty assigned to a spacecraft or crew, often involving exploration or research. – The mission to Mars aims to gather information about the planet’s potential to support life.
South – The direction toward the point of the horizon 90 degrees clockwise from east, often used in navigation and mapping. – The lunar rover was directed to explore the moon’s south pole, where ice deposits might be found.
Power – The ability or capacity to do work or produce an effect, often related to energy sources. – The spacecraft’s power systems are crucial for maintaining communication with Earth during its mission.
