Chandrayaan-3: All You Need to Know About Moon Mission’s Lander 

Aug 23, 2023, 07:09 IST

Riya Teotia

Vikram Lander 

The lander is named after Dr Vikram Sarabhai, who is known as the father of the Indian Space Programme. 

Lander’s mission life  

It is designed to function for one lunar day, which is 14 days on the Earth and comes with several sensors to ensure a safe touchdown. 

Mass and power 

It weighs about 1,749 kg, including the rover. It has side-mounted solar panels, which can generate 738 W power, and will be engaged in exploring the lunar south pole. 

Lander payloads 

The Vikram lander has three payloads, namely, RAMBHA-LP, ChaSTE, and ILSA, for fulfilling its objectives. 

Payload 1: RAMBHA-LP 

It is designed to measure the near-surface plasma (ions and electrons) density and its changes with time. 

Payload 2: ChaSTE 

ChaSTE or ‘Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment’ will carry out the measurements of thermal properties of the lunar surface near the polar region. 

Payload 3: ILSA 

ILSA or ‘Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity’ is meant to measure seismicity around the landing site and delineate the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.

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