Chandrayaan-2: Isro has located lander Vikram and is trying to make contact. But how?
Updated: Sep 11, 2019,
- Isro has been sending different commands every day, hoping to hear back from the lander.
- Vikram is equipped with three transponders and a phased array antenna — the dome type structure on top of it. The lander will have to use these to receive signals, decipher it and talk back
CHENNAI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (
Isro
) on Tuesday issued a statement that the agency is trying to establish contact with
Chandrayaan-2
lander (
Vikram
), and that the orbiter has located it, giving out the same information its chairman K Sivan revealed on Sunday.
In a statement issued this morning Isro said: "Vikram lander has been located by the orbiter of Chandrayaan-2, but no communication with it yet. All possible efforts are being made to establish communication with lander."
TOI has spoken to several scientists to try and answer some of these questions, given that Isro is yet to make an official communication in this regard.
How is Isro trying to contact Vikram?
Isro, which knows the frequency in which Vikram was supposed to communicate, has been sending different commands every day, hoping to hear back from the lander. So far, there has been no response. It has been using the 32-metre antenna installed in
Byalalu
, its deep space network centre near Bengaluru. It also tried another route: Trying to get the orbiter to talk with Vikram, but to no avail.
How can Vikram respond?
Vikram is equipped with three transponders and a phased array antenna — the dome type structure on top of it. The lander will have to use these to receive signals, decipher it and talk back. But it has been unable to do so more than 72 hours after it lost contact with the ground stations here. So far Isro has not officially communicated if these systems are in good condition, or, if they have been damaged.
Also, these systems will need power to operate, which takes us to the next question.
Does Vikram have power/energy?
The solar panel on Vikram is on the outside of its body and needed no manoeuvre for deployment. Had it landed as planned it would have picked up the Sun's energy and generated power. Besides, Vikram also has a battery system. But it is unclear if the lander is generating power at this point. Isro has not confirmed this yet. A hard landing could have damaged some of these systems, but Isro is still analysing the data, its chairman says.
For how long can Isro try?
As per Isro's pre-launch estimates, the lander was to get clear sunlight only for one lunar day, which is 14 Earth days. So Isro can keep trying until then, or stop before if it has ascertained that the systems have been damaged. After 14 Earth days, there will be a long cold night, which the systems were unlikely to survive even if the landing module had achieved a controlled, soft landing.
Moon's south pole is a very difficult place to land: European Space Agency
Srinivas Laxman | TNN | Updated: Sep 11, 2019- The European Space Agency was planning an unmanned mission to the south pole region of the Moon — almost like Chandrayaan-2 — with a targeted landing date sometime in 2018.
- The ESA report says: "The surface (south pole) of the Moon is a complex environment where charged particles and radiation meet fine lunar dust. The results can be surprising, unpredictable and hazardous
Called the lunar lander mission, the agency scrapped it owing to lack of funds.
During the plan stages, it prepared a report about the hazards and risks of landing in the south pole region of the Moon, which it subsequently placed in the public domain.
The report says: "The surface (south pole) of the Moon is a complex environment where charged particles and radiation meet fine lunar dust. The results can be surprising, unpredictable and hazardous.
"Moon dust sticks to equipment, causing mechanical problems and could cover solar panels and other surfaces reducing their efficiency.
"Electrostatic forces propel dust around the Moon's surface causing additional risk. The electrostatic charging caused by these particles may be a hazard for future landers, and humans," the report says, emphasising — "little is known about lunar dust and its behaviour on the Moon’s surface".
In layman’s parlance, electrostatics is the study of stationary electric charges.
"During landing the vehicle (lander) will keep a watchful eye on any shadows that might block solar power generation as well as hazards such as steep slopes or large boulders that could endanger the lander as it comes to a rest," the report says.
The ESA report quotes Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the Moon, about the lunar dust problem, as saying: "You have to live with it, but you’re continually fighting dust problem both outside and inside the spacecraft."
ESA is currently partnering with the Canadian and Japanese space agencies to prepare for the Heracles robotic mission to the south pole region of the Moon in the mid-to-late 2020s.
In addition to the ESA report, the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez prepared a report, jointly with Nasa, dated May 30, 2019.
Called "Lunar Exploration and Access to Polar Regions”, it highlights some of the possible risks of landing in the polar region of the Moon. The report was prepared keeping in view Nasa’s aim to return humans to the Moon by 2024.
The landing zone is again the south polar region and Nasa repeatedly stated that it will use the data from Chandrayaan-2 while planning the mission, called Artemis. The joint report, which has relevance to the Moon’s south polar region, says there are 17 types of risks involved in landing a spacecraft in this area.
During the plan stages, it prepared a report about the hazards and risks of landing in the south pole region of the Moon, which it subsequently placed in the public domain.
The report says: "The surface (south pole) of the Moon is a complex environment where charged particles and radiation meet fine lunar dust. The results can be surprising, unpredictable and hazardous.
"Moon dust sticks to equipment, causing mechanical problems and could cover solar panels and other surfaces reducing their efficiency.
"Electrostatic forces propel dust around the Moon's surface causing additional risk. The electrostatic charging caused by these particles may be a hazard for future landers, and humans," the report says, emphasising — "little is known about lunar dust and its behaviour on the Moon’s surface".
In layman’s parlance, electrostatics is the study of stationary electric charges.
"During landing the vehicle (lander) will keep a watchful eye on any shadows that might block solar power generation as well as hazards such as steep slopes or large boulders that could endanger the lander as it comes to a rest," the report says.
The ESA report quotes Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the Moon, about the lunar dust problem, as saying: "You have to live with it, but you’re continually fighting dust problem both outside and inside the spacecraft."
ESA is currently partnering with the Canadian and Japanese space agencies to prepare for the Heracles robotic mission to the south pole region of the Moon in the mid-to-late 2020s.
In addition to the ESA report, the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez prepared a report, jointly with Nasa, dated May 30, 2019.
Called "Lunar Exploration and Access to Polar Regions”, it highlights some of the possible risks of landing in the polar region of the Moon. The report was prepared keeping in view Nasa’s aim to return humans to the Moon by 2024.
The landing zone is again the south polar region and Nasa repeatedly stated that it will use the data from Chandrayaan-2 while planning the mission, called Artemis. The joint report, which has relevance to the Moon’s south polar region, says there are 17 types of risks involved in landing a spacecraft in this area.
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