Is it the end of the mission for Vikram Lander or is it just in Sleep Mode? As Indian Space Research Organisation   that the lander was set to go into sleep mode at 8 am today (Tuesday). All the instruments on-board have been switched off, but the receivers have been kept ‘on’. 

“Vikram will fall asleep next to Pragyan (rover) once the solar power is depleted and the battery is drained. Hoping for their awakening around September 22,” ISRO said.

But what Lander did before sleeping, completing the hop mission and soft landing again on the moon.

ISRO fired thrusters on the lander on Monday,which lifted the spacecraft off the lunar surface to a height of about 40 cm, it was then moved horizontally for about a foot. This may be a small step for the lander, but it is a notable achievement for ISRO. The onboard instruments – ChaSTE, RAMBHA-LP and ILSA — performed experiments at the new location, and sent the data back to Earth.

However, landing and take-off are two sides of the same coin, and a good vehicle must be capable of both. Vikram lander has proved to be equal to the task.

Now Vikram can sleep in peace!