One thing that is still alive on Chandrayaan 3

Chandrayaan-3: One Instrument Still Active After Mission Completion

Mission Introduction:

India's Chandrayaan-3 mission was a huge success, landing near the Moon's South Pole on August 23 and hitting all its mission targets within just two weeks. While the hope was that the lander might power back up after the lunar night, something on the Vikram lander is still operational, playing a vital role even now.

Chandrayaan-3 Landing

LRA Working on Chandrayaan-3 Lander:

One of the key instruments on board, known as the Laser Retro reflector Array (LRA), continues to work. The LRA was a gift from NASA to ISRO

and it's one of four main instruments carried by the Vikram lander. But what makes it special is its ability to reflect laser beams from orbiting spacecraft. Using this reflected laser light, scientists can pinpoint the exact location of the lander on the Moon’s surface and measure the distance from Earth to the Moon, a technique known as Laser Ranging.

NASA Gift to ISRO.

The LRA is like a tiny mirror, only 5 cm in diameter, but it has a big job. By shining laser light on it from hundreds of kilometers away, instruments like altimeters or LiDAR on orbiting spacecraft can gather incredibly accurate data. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, for example, uses this kind of technology to map the Moon with high precision.

Summary:

So,in Chandrayaan-3 while the Vikram lander has gone quiet, this small but crucial piece of equipment is still doing important work. It’s helping scientists continue to learn about the Moon’s surface, adding to the overall success of -3 and its contribution to lunar exploration.