<h5>What will Chandrayaan-3’s lander do now?</h5><p>With Chandrayaan-3’s successful soft landing, India became the first country to land a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole.</p><div class="raw-html-embed"><figure> <video width="100%" controls=""> <source src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/chandrayaan-3-what-s-next-for-it%2FISRO%202.mp4?alt=media&amp;token=a828ce27-53d1-4f64-80e6-f82146dcc04b" type="video/mp4"> </video> <figcaption>Lander image of the moon during touchdown. Video by ISRO.</figcaption> </figure></div><p>After landing, the Vikram lander released the Pragyan rover. The lander and the rover will function for 14 days and carry various scientific equipment. The equipment will help study the moon’s south pole region.</p><p>The lander will study various things, like the near-surface plasma. The equipment on the Pragyan rover will help understand the moon’s surface. It will also check the elemental composition of the soil near the landing zone. Also, the lander’s soft landing on the South Pole is an achievement in itself.</p><h5>Why is a soft landing on the lunar south pole an achievement?</h5><p>A soft landing on the moon’s south pole is difficult. Previous moon missions, like NASA's Apollo and the Soviet Union’s Luna, landed near the equator. This is because the surface near the equator is often flatter, smoother and more lander-friendly. The moon’s south pole region is rugged and is filled with craters.</p><p>It also doesn’t receive proper sunlight, making it very cold there. This is why it is tough to land on the moon’s south pole region.</p><h5>Why is it important to learn about the moon’s south pole?</h5><figure class="image"><img src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/chandrayaan-3-what-s-next-for-it%2FISRO%203.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=3389f130-8f61-4970-988b-b9aba1fc45fd"><figcaption>An image of the moon’s surface taken during landing. Photo by ISRO.</figcaption></figure><p>Scientists think the moon’s south pole region contains water ice (evidence of it has also been found). This makes it an important resource for future exploration. This water can be used to provide drinking water, generate oxygen, cool down equipment, etc., for future missions.</p><p>Scientists think this ancient water ice can also reveal information regarding lunar volcanoes, material brought to Earth by comets and asteroids, and the formation of oceans. Let's hope Chandrayaan-3's lander and rover can help provide some information during their 14-day mission.</p><h5>What will happen to the rover and lander after 14 days?</h5><div class="raw-html-embed"><figure> <video width="100%" controls=""> <source src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/chandrayaan-3-what-s-next-for-it%2FISRO%204.mp4?alt=media&amp;token=09cb8276-8d52-4ec8-b29d-e9a16336b7e0" type="video/mp4"> </video> <figcaption>The Pragyan rover coming out of the lander. Video by ISRO.</figcaption> </figure></div><p>After 14 days, the moon will experience night. This will also last for 14 days. The weather will be extremely chilly. There will be no sunlight. Vikram and Pragyan can only work in the sun, so they will stop functioning. Also, both of them are designed to function for 14 days only.</p><p>However, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists think that there’s a chance that they might start functioning again when the sun rises again on the moon. Let’s hope they do.</p>

The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover will help study the moon’s south pole region.

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