Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover have begun operations on the Moon. The lander, Vikram, successfully touched down on the lunar South Pole on August 23, 2023, and the rover, Pragyan, rolled out of the lander on August 25, 2023.
The lander is carrying a number of scientific instruments, including the Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), which will study the Moon’s seismic activity, and the Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA), which will study the Moon’s ionosphere and atmosphere. The rover is carrying two instruments, the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), which will be used to study the composition of the lunar surface.
The lander and rover are expected to operate for one lunar day or 14 Earth days. During this time, they will collect data on the lunar surface and atmosphere, and send it back to Earth. This data will help scientists to better understand the Moon’s formation and evolution.
The successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover is a major milestone for India’s space program. It is the first time that India has landed a spacecraft on the lunar South Pole, and it is the first time that India has deployed a rover on the Moon. The success of this mission will help India to become a leading player in lunar exploration.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is collecting a variety of data from the Moon through its Chandrayaan-3 mission. This data includes:
- The composition of the lunar surface, including the presence of water ice.
- The Moon’s seismic activity.
- The structure of the Moon’s crust and mantle.
- The Moon’s ionosphere and atmosphere.
- The radiation environment around the Moon.
- The history of the Moon’s formation and evolution.
The data collected by Chandrayaan-3 will help scientists to better understand the Moon and its role in the solar system. This information could be used to develop new technologies for space exploration, such as new ways to extract water from the lunar surface.
Here are some specific instruments on the Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover that are collecting this data:
- Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): This instrument will study the Moon’s seismic activity, which can help scientists to understand the structure of the Moon’s interior.
- Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA): This instrument will study the Moon’s ionosphere and atmosphere, which can help scientists understand how the Moon interacts with the solar wind.
- Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS): This instrument will be used to study the composition of the lunar surface by vaporizing small samples of the surface and analyzing the resulting plasma.
- Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): This instrument will also be used to study the composition of the lunar surface by measuring the energy and intensity of alpha particles and X-rays emitted by the surface.
The data collected by Chandrayaan-3 will be shared with scientists around the world, and it will help to advance our understanding of the Moon and its place in the solar system.