Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) has made history with their Chandrayaan-3 mission, uncovering significant discoveries on the Moon’s South Pole. Here’s everything you need to know!
What Happened on August 26, 2023, on the Moon?
On August 26, 2023, the Pragyan Rover module from the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 mission recorded a mysterious natural event. According to ISRO, this was picked up by the In-situ Scientific Experiments Instrument for the Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), a technology marvel that uses Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). This marks the first such instrumentation on the moon and it not only recorded the movements of the Pragyan Rover and other payloads but also captured an event that is presumed to be of natural origin. The source of this event is currently under thorough investigation, sparking a wave of excitement and anticipation among the scientific community. While the nature and implications of this mysterious event are still under scrutiny, the fact that it was detected suggests the capability of ISRO’s technology to make groundbreaking observations.
What Did ISRO Find on the Moon’s Surface?
ISRO confirmed Sulphur’s presence on the Moon on Tuesday via its Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) instrument on Rover. This discovery marks a landmark because it represents in-situ measurements of Sulphur on lunar surface for the first time ever! Additionally, other elements have also been discovered such as Aluminum, Calcium, Iron, Chromium Titanium Manganese Silicon Oxygen. However, search for Hydrogen is ongoing.
This range of elemental detections helps in understanding the Moon’s geological and elemental composition, which can have broader implications for future lunar missions and even for the understanding of Earth’s closest natural satellite.
What is the Significance of Chandrayaan-3?
Chandrayaan-3 mission comprises three essential components: Rover for exploration, Lander for soft-landing and Propulsion module to facilitate travel into lunar orbit. On August 23, Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed its module at the South Pole of Moon making India the first country ever to do so – previously, only United States China and Russia had successfully carried out such lunar missions. ISRO and India as a whole will remember this momentous achievement with pride as real time observations and discoveries can now take place simultaneously with landing success making this momentous momentous achievement truly historic for ISRO and India at large.
What’s Next for ISRO After Chandrayaan-3?
Following the immense success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, ISRO has shown no signs of slowing down. It is prepared to launch its first solar mission, Aditya-L1, on September 2nd. This mission aims to study the Sun and is India’s first venture in understanding our parent star. With a series of successful missions under its belt, ISRO is rapidly establishing itself as a significant player in global space exploration.
By uncovering natural events and elemental compositions on the Moon, ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 has opened new doors in space exploration and scientific discovery. While we await more details on the mysterious event detected on the Moon, one thing is clear: India’s role in space exploration has made a giant leap forward.
