India Chandrayaan-3 Lands on Moon Surface, Exploring Lunar Mysteries
On August 23, India's Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the south pole of the moon, achieving another significant milestone. The spaceship is about to travel into unexplored territory that is thought to be a reservoir of frozen water.
Unveiling Frozen Water Possibilities
By Comprising a lander, a rover, and a propulsion module, Chandrayaan-3 is armed with a suite of instruments designed to conduct a series of in-situ scientific experiments during a single lunar day, equivalent to 14 days on Earth.
Rover Touchdown and Mission Objectives
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) recently reported that the rover has disembarked from the lander and is now traversing the moon's surface. The three main objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are to ensure a safe and gentle landing on the moon, demonstrate rover mobility on lunar terrain, and carry out on-site scientific experiments.
In-Depth Lunar Experiments
Lander's Contributions
There are four payloads on the lander, and each one has a specific function. The near-surface plasma density and its temporal fluctuations will be examined by the RAMBHA (Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere) experiment.
As The goal of the Chandra's Surface Thermo-physical Experiment (ChaSTE) is to gauge the lunar pole's thermal characteristics. In order to map the structure of the lunar crust and mantle, the Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) will measure seismic activity. The Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) will also provide information on lunar dynamics.
Rover's Scientific Arsenal
The Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) and the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) are the two instruments that make up Chandrayaan-3's rover. The mineral and chemical composition of the moon's surface will be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using LIBS. The soil and rocks surrounding the landing site will be examined using APXS, which will reveal the presence of elements like magnesium, aluminum, silica, potassium, calcium, titanium, and iron.
Propulsion Module's Vision
The propulsion module, responsible for ferrying the lander and rover to a 100km lunar orbit, incorporates the Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (Shape) experiment. Shape is poised to unravel the mysteries of smaller planets through reflected light, potentially revealing habitable exoplanets for future study.
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission marks a significant step forward in lunar exploration, promising to unveil valuable insights into the moon's geology, composition, and the intriguing possibility of frozen water resources.
