Almost a year after Chandrayaan 3's lunar landing, Indian scientists have published results from an instrument on the rover, providing the first analysis of the Moon's southern topsoil. These findings support the theory that the Moon's surface was once covered by molten material shortly after its formation.
India’s third lunar mission and second attempt to make a soft landing on the surface of the Moon.
Launched by Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3).
The propulsion module carried the lander and rover configuration to a 100 km lunar orbit.
The propulsion module had a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) outlined three objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 mission:
to achieve a safe and soft landing on the Moon,
to showcase the rover’s mobility on the lunar surface, and
to perform in-situ scientific experiments.
It consisted of an Indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM) and a Rover to develop and demonstrate new technologies required for Interplanetary missions.
Payloads of Chandrayaan-3 and their objectives
Lander Payloads
Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE): To measure the thermal properties of lunar surface near polar region.
Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): For measuring the seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.
Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA): To estimate the plasma density and its variations.
Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA): A passive experiment to understand the dynamics of Moon system.
Rover Payloads
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): To determine the elemental composition of Lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS): For deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.
Propulsion Module Payload
Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE): Future discoveries of smaller planets in reflected light would allow us to probe into a variety of Exo-planets that would qualify for habitability (or for presence of life).
ISRO's efficiency and cost-effectiveness are notable, with the mission accomplished at a cost of Rs 615 crore, significantly less than an Airbus.
The mission’s importance in providing physical access to another planetary body and positioning India at the forefront of space technology.
India’s space capabilities will be crucial in global decision-making regarding future planetary exploration and resource extraction.
Chandrayaan-3 boosts India's confidence and capability to contribute effectively to international space policy and decision-making.
Findings of Chandrayaan-3 Mission
Scientists have reported three key findings.
The terrain around Chandrayaan 3’s landing sight is fairly uniform;
The Moon’s crust was formed layer by layer, which adds weight to the lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis; and
The topsoil around the lunar south pole has a greater-than-expected sprinkling of minerals which compose the lower layers of the lunar crust.
The Moon is believed to have formed from a collision between Earth and a large asteroid about 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists theorize that the early Moon’s surface was a magma ocean. Chandrayaan 3’s APXS findings support this hypothesis and introduce a new discovery suggesting some "mixing" of lunar crust layers.
This mixing might have been caused by the asteroid impact that created the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin, the Moon’s largest and oldest basin. APXS measurements are expected to provide crucial insights into the Moon's origin and evolution, particularly in the south polar highlands.
