Chandrayaan-3: Pragyan rover traversing Moon since 1:30 am Thursday - Exclusive

As of August 23, three of four vehicles associated with India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing mission have done their job flawlessly - the LVM3 rocket (life of 16mins), propulsion module(continues to orbit the moon) and 'Vikram' lander module (safely near the Lunar South Pole). However, doubts are being raised about the status of the 26kg, 6-wheeled Lunar rover 'Pragyan'.

In the late hours of Wednesday, videos from within the ISRO Mission Operations Complex showedthe operations team celebrating, as the rover stood on the ramp, just a push away from the lunar soil. However, ISRO hadn't yet officially released any pictures of the same. Wion has reliably learnt that the rover has been traversing safely the regions around the lander since 1:30 am (IST) on Thursday, August 24.

"Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Chandrayaan-3 ROVER:
Made in India 🇮🇳
Made for the MOON🌖!
The Ch-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander and
India took a walk on the moon !
More updates soon" ISRO tweeted at the time of filing this report. However, no images of the rover traversing the lunar surface have been shared so far.

It is said that the rover's wheels have the imprint of India's national emblem, an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. In addition to this, there is also the ISRO logo on the rover wheels.

Therefore, just like Armstrong's first step on the Moon and its iconic image, there will be a long trail ofIndian imprints in the region near the lunar South Pole, as Pragyan has 14 earth days to enjoy the ride around its home and carry out experiments. The imprints left on lunar soil remain unchanged, as the moon does not have water, wind, weather changes, weathering processes and vegetation like Earth. Therefore, every imprint on the talcum powder-like lunar soil will remain for eternity.

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