Chandrayaan-3: New Lunar Soil Knowledge and Mission Updates Await

As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) awaits communication from the Chandrayaan-3 lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan), scientists are analyzing the data sent by the instruments on board. One of the key findings expected is new knowledge about the lunar soil, which could be valuable for future missions, including those involving human exploration of the Moon. The optimal conditions for the systems to wake up are a sun elevation angle of 6° to 9° and a rise in temperature. If the lander and rover wake up, it will provide additional data, but even the existing data is expected to yield new insights. Scientists are studying various parameters such as surface characteristics, seismicity, temperature, and regolith properties to understand the lunar topsoil better.