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ISRO Aims for 200-Day Moon Lander Life with New Tech
14 Jun
Summary
- ISRO is developing artificial heating systems for lunar landers.
- New technology could extend lander survival to 100-200 days.
- This aims to overcome extreme cold and lack of sunlight on the Moon.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is advancing artificial heating technologies to dramatically extend the survival of future lunar landers. This initiative, a collaboration with the Department of Atomic Energy, aims to enable landers to operate for 100 to 200 days, far surpassing the 14-day lifespan of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
The primary challenge ISRO seeks to overcome is the Moon's harsh night, characterized by extreme temperature drops and the unavailability of solar power. Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander, for instance, ceased operations once the lunar night set in due to a loss of power.
To counter this, ISRO and DAE are developing artificial heating systems designed to protect spacecraft electronics and instruments. Success in this endeavor means future lunar missions could maintain continuous functionality even in the extreme cold of the lunar night, opening new possibilities for exploration.
