The Chandrayaan-3 Moon rover from India has detached from the spaceship and is now exploring the lunar surface. The spacecraft landed on the unexplored southern pole of the moon, and the rover is expected to work for around two weeks, carrying out tests including spectrometer analyses of the mineral composition of the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3’s six-wheeled lander and rover module are equipped with payloads that will collect information on the soil and rock features of the moon, including their chemical and elemental compositions.
With this accomplishment, India becomes the first nation to successfully land on the southern polar region of the moon, joining the US, the Soviet Union, and China as the third and fourth countries to do so.
Image credit: ISOR