Water Ice on the Moon: Chandrayaan-3’s Revelations

Sub: Sci

Sec: Space Sector

Why in News

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has provided new insights into the presence of water ice on the Moon. Data from the Vikram lander reveals that water ice may be more accessible than previously believed.

Key Findings from Chandrayaan-3:

The Vikram lander recorded a peak surface temperature of 82°C at Shiv Shakti Point, while a location just a meter away showed a temperature of 58.85°C.
Nighttime temperatures dropped drastically to approximately -181°C.
The study confirms that temperature variations occur at the meter scale, influencing conditions for water ice stability.
As countries like the US, China, Russia, and India plan long-term lunar missions, the availability of water on the Moon is crucial.
Water ice can serve multiple purposes, including:
- Sustaining human missions (drinking and sanitation needs).
- Supporting fuel generation for rockets launched from the Moon.
- Enabling future lunar habitation and resource utilization.

Chandrayaan-3:

Objective: Demonstrate end-to-end capabilities in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
Consists of a Lander Module (Vikram) and a Rover (Pragyan).
Launched aboard India’s LVM3 rocket, capable of placing about 8 metric tons into low-Earth orbit.
Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
Achieved a soft landing near the Moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023, making India the first country to land a spacecraft in this region.
The Pragyan rover analysed soil samples near the south pole, detecting the presence of ferrous anorthosite, which supports theories about the Moon’s early molten state.
India became the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, following the USA, Russia, and China.

Data Collection by the ChaSTE Experiment:

The Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) onboard Vikram lander conducted in-situ temperature measurements at 69.373° south, 32.319° east.
The temperature measurements were higher than predicted by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Diviner instrument.
The study highlights that higher latitude regions on the Moon experience extreme temperature variations, affecting ice stability.

Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE):

Equipped with 10 platinum Resistance Temperature Devices (RTDs) positioned at various depths to capture temperature gradients.
Integrated near the probe’s tip to facilitate thermal conductivity assessments.
Mounted on the Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3, the probe was inserted into the lunar soil post-landing.
First in-situ thermal measurements near the Moon’s south pole.