Chandrayaan-3: Here's what Pragyan rover will do next

This data will be used to look for planetary signatures that closely match our planet's habitability. (Image: ISRO)

Chandrayaan-3 will be a monumental mission in the history of India's space programme. It will make the country only the fourth in the world to achieve a soft landing on the moon, after the US, China and the former Soviet Union.

Achieving a soft landing is only part of the plan, though. Once on the lunar surface, the Vikram lander module will lower the Pragyan rover.

Derived from the Sanskrit word for wisdom, Pragyan is a six-wheeled rover designed to study the surface of the Moon. This enables it cover distances of up to 500 metres each Earth day across the Moon's terrain.

Its primary objective is to study the geology of the Moon, which will provide insights into the composition of Earth's satellite. It may also yield a better understanding of the history of the astronomical body

Pragyan will carry out key investigations for several elements on the surface, like magnesium, silicon, potassium, calcium, iron and more. In particular, it will assist in understanding the Moon's subtle atmosphere, studying fluctuations, and day/night cycles.

Pragyan will also study Moon dust aka regolith, which is a layer covering solid rock, and is usually in the form of dust or soil. The rover will use lasers to melt regolith for the study of emitted gases.

With its on-board stereoscopic 3D camera, Pragyan will generate digital renderings of the Moon's terrain. This will aid in pathfinding and navigation. The Vikram lander will act as a relay, transmitting information from Pragyan to Earth for further study.