After Chandrayaan-3’s landing, the experiments: lunar quakes and water-ice on Moon

Source: The post is based on the article “After Chandrayaan-3’s landing, the experiments: lunar quakes and water-ice on Moon”  published in Indian Express on 24th August 2023.

What is the News?

India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 scripted history by successfully landing on the lunar surface.

What is Chandrayaan-3?

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The Chandrayaan-3 payloads will further the science learnings of the two predecessor missions by studying lunar quakes, mineral compositions, and the electrons and ions near the surface of the Moon. 

The mission will attempt to study water-ice, the presence of which was detected by Chandrayaan-1.

Payloads of Chandrayaan-3: 

Lander: The lander has four experiments on board:

– Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere(RAMBHA): It will study the electrons and ions near the surface of the moon and how they change over time.

– Chandra’s Surface Thermo Physical Experiment (ChaSTE): It will study the thermal properties of the lunar surface near the polar region. Chandrayaan-3 has landed around 70 degree south latitude, the closest that any spacecraft has reached to the lunar south pole.

– Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): It will measure the lunar quakes near the landing site and study the composition of the Moon’s crust and mantle.

– LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA): It is a passive experiment sent by NASA that acts as a target for lasers for very accurate measurements for future missions.

Rover: There are two scientific experiments on the rover: 

– LASER Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS): It will determine the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface.

– Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): It will determine the composition of elements such as magnesium, aluminum, silicon, potassium, calcium, titanium, and iron in the lunar soil and rocks.

What are the key discoveries made by Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 Missions?

Water on the Moon: Chandrayaan-1 discovered water and hydroxyl molecules in the Moon’s atmosphere and on its surface. Mini-SAR and Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) helped detect water-ice in lunar craters.

Lava Tubes: The missions found an underground lava tube, potentially suitable for human habitation, providing protection from radiation, meteor impacts, temperature extremes, and dust storms.

Magma Ocean Theory: Chandrayaan-1’s M3 payload found crystals on the Moon’s surface that suggest it was once molten, supporting the magma ocean hypothesis.

Dynamic Moon: Contrary to the belief that the Moon was dormant, evidence of recent volcanic activity, including volcanic vents and lava channels, was discovered.The Moon’s interaction with the exosphere was observed, even without meteor impacts.

Solar Flares: Chandrayaan-2’s Solar X-Ray Monitor observed solar microflares and studied the Sun’s corona, providing insights into the mystery of coronal heating.

Mineral Mapping: The CLASS X-ray Fluorescence experiment mapped 95% of the lunar surface in X-rays, significantly more than previous missions, offering valuable data for future exploration.