Today, the Vikram lander unveiled the moon's initial images following its successful separation from the spacecraft's propulsion system. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released these breathtaking visuals captured by the Lander Imager (LI) Camera-1 on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.
The compiled set of images showcases various moon craters, notably including the Giordano Bruno crater—a significant feature being one of the moon's freshest and larger craters.
After its separation from the module, the LI Camera-1 managed to photograph the Harkhebi J crater, measuring about 43 km in diameter.
The lander module, after detaching from the propulsion system, said, "Thanks for the ride, mate."
The module is poised to transition to a lower orbital level through a successful deboosting operation conducted today. The Lander Module's (LM) condition remains optimal, and this maneuver has led to a reduction in its orbit to 113 km x 157 km. The next deboosting maneuver is planned for August 20, approximately at 2 am.
The process of deboosting, involving a reduction in speed, will position the Lander Module into an orbit where the closest point to the Moon (Perilune) will be 30 kilometers, and the farthest point from the Moon (Apolune) will be at 100 kilometers.
On August 23, the lander is slated to attempt a "soft landing" within the Moon's south polar region. Concurrently, the propulsion module will continue its lunar orbit, engaging in the study of Earth's atmosphere and collecting data from exoplanets that meet habitability criteria.
Following the lander's touchdown and the subsequent settling of lunar dust, the 'Pragyaan' rover will disembark from the Vikram Lander. Subsequently, the lander and the rover will exchange images of each other.
