Type: Prelims Only

Central Idea

• ISRO’s triumphant landing of the Chandrayaan-3 lander on the moon’s South Polar Region marks a significant achievement in space exploration.
• As India emerges as a key player in the field, the focus now shifts to its multifaceted activities, upcoming missions, and technological advancements.

Diverse ISRO Activities

• Multifaceted Endeavors: ISRO’s operations span research, satellite development, rocket production, satellite tracking infrastructure maintenance, and more, catering to diverse space-related needs.
• Key Focus Areas: Prominent areas of focus include the ‘Gaganyaan’ human spaceflight mission, Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD), SCE-200 engine development, and the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

Glimpses of Upcoming Missions

• Aditya L1: Scheduled for September 2023, Aditya L1 is a scientific mission to study the sun in detail, providing critical insights into solar activities.
• NISAR Satellite: In January 2024, the joint ISRO-NASA NISAR satellite will study earth’s surface processes using advanced radar technology.
• Gaganyaan G1 and G2 Flights: 2024 witnesses test flights of human-rated rockets, a prelude to India’s ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight.

Beyond Launches: Technology Innovations

• Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD): Resembling the NASA Space Shuttle, RLV-TD’s design enables air propulsion or gliding, capable of lifting 20,000 kg to low-earth orbit.
• Advanced Propulsion: ISRO explores advanced rocket fuels like methalox propellant and electric propulsion systems, enhancing efficiency and safety.

Moon Missions and Lunar Exploration

• Chandrayaan-3 and Beyond: Chandrayaan-3 paves the way for further lunar exploration, with plans for missions like LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration) in collaboration with JAXA.
• LUPEX’s Ambitions: LUPEX aims to deploy a sophisticated lander and rover to study the moon’s South Polar Region, including subsurface sample extraction and night survival.

Expanding Collaborations and Global Partnerships

• Alternative Space Service Providers: ISRO fills gaps left by sanctions on Russia, launching OneWeb satellites and expectedly launching the European Space Agency’s PROBA-3 satellites.
• Lunar Exploration with JAXA: Collaborating with JAXA for LUPEX showcases ISRO’s commitment to global partnerships in space exploration.

Mars and Venus Missions

• Mars Return Mission: ISRO plans a return to Mars, building on its previous successful Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan).
• Venus Exploration: ‘Shukrayaan’: Ambitious plans to study Venus through the ‘Shukrayaan’ mission demonstrate ISRO’s expanding horizons in planetary exploration.

Conclusion

• ISRO’s remarkable accomplishments and future undertakings illuminate its stature as a global space powerhouse.
• From lunar landings to solar studies, human spaceflight to interplanetary missions, ISRO continues to shape the landscape of space exploration.
• By pushing boundaries, fostering innovation, and fostering international cooperation, ISRO cements its role in humanity’s journey to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos.

Central Idea

• The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s recent lunar landing has sparked curiosity about the moon’s various sides – near, far, and even the intriguing ‘dark’ side.
• Delving into these distinctions sheds light on the moon’s enigmatic nature and how space exploration helps us unravel its mysteries.

 Moon’s Visible and Hidden Faces

• Near and Far Sides: The moon’s ‘near side,’ visible from Earth, covers around 60% of its surface. In contrast, the ‘far side’ remained hidden from us until modern spacecraft brought it into view.
• Clarifying the ‘Dark’ Side: Often misconstrued as constantly dark, the ‘dark side’ simply refers to the unseen side. It gets illuminated during the ‘new moon’ phase, challenging the misconception of its perpetual darkness.

Why is their composition different?

• The composition of the Moon’s near and far sides is different, and scientists believe they have identified the reasons behind this discrepancy.
• A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience reveals that the presence of KREEP, a rock enriched in potassium (K), rare-earth elements (REE), and phosphorus (P), plays a crucial role.

Key Points from the Study:

• Moons Near and Far Sides: The Moon’s near side, always facing Earth, has visible dark and light patches known as “maria.” Telescopic observations showed that these were not seas as early astronomers thought, but rather craters or volcanic features. The far side of the Moon has fewer maria than the near side.
• Moon’s Formation: The uneven distribution of volcanism and the KREEP signature between the near and far sides of the Moon puzzled scientists.
• Radioactive Unstable Elements: Potassium (K), thorium (Th), and uranium (U) are unstable, radioactive elements that have various isotopes with different numbers of neutrons. The radioactive decay of these elements generates heat that can melt rocks and contribute to volcanic activity.
• Heat and Melting: The study found that the inclusion of KREEP in rocks not only enhances heating but also lowers their melting temperature. This combination increases volcanic activity beyond what is predicted by radiogenic decay models.
• Geological Record: The Moon’s surface preserves geological events from the early history of the Solar System due to the absence of erosion processes. Concentrations of radioactive elements like uranium (U) and thorium (Th) on the near side provide insights into the Moon’s formation and early Earth conditions.

Phases and Illumination

• New Moon Phase: The ‘new moon’ phase unveils the moon’s ‘far side,’ exposing it to sunlight for about two weeks.
• Historic Revelation: In 1968, astronauts aboard Apollo 8 became the first humans to observe the ‘far side,’ demystifying its hidden features.

Chandrayaan-3’s Approach

• Closest South Pole Landing: Chandrayaan-3’s landing at coordinates 69.36 S and 32.34 E marks the closest approach to the lunar South Pole.
• Exploring Permanently Shadowed Regions: The strategic landing aimed to study regions that never receive sunlight, potentially containing frozen water ice and other lunar resources.
• Sunlight Necessity: Vikram’s nearness to the South Pole ensures sunlight for solar battery recharging, crucial for its operation.
• Choice of Landing Site: The decision to land on the ‘near side’ was driven by mission objectives, including real-time communication with Earth. Landing on the ‘far side’ would have required relay satellites and introduced delays.

Central Idea

• As Chandrayaan-3 succeeded on its lunar soft landing, its six-wheeled rover begins a journey to unravel the mysteries of the Moon.
• With its payloads and instruments, the mission aims to build on the knowledge gained from its predecessors, investigating lunar quakes, mineral compositions, and water-ice presence.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Journey post soft landing

• Rover’s Arrival: The 26-kg rover, launched from the Chandrayaan-3 lander, is poised to cover up to 500 meters, commencing its lunar exploration.
• Duration: The lander and rover, equipped with six payloads, are primed to collect valuable data during the single lunar day (equivalent to 14 Earth days) of operation.
• Studying Lunar Quakes: The Chandrayaan-3 mission seeks to deepen insights into lunar quakes, expanding on the knowledge gained from its predecessors.
• Mineral Composition: The rover’s endeavors include examining the mineral compositions of the Moon’s surface, shedding light on its geological history.
• Electrons and Ions Study: The Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA) payload aims to study the behavior of electrons and ions near the lunar surface over time.
• Thermal Properties: Chandra’s Surface Thermo physical Experiment (ChaSTE) will explore the thermal characteristics of the Moon’s Polar Regions.
• Lunar Seismic Activity: The Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) endeavors to measure lunar quakes and study the Moon’s crust and mantle composition.
• Laser Retroreflector Array: A passive experiment by NASA, the LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA), will serve as a target for precise laser measurements in future missions.
• Chemical Insights: The LASER Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) aboard the rover is designed to identify the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface.
• Elemental Analysis: The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) aims to analyze elements such as magnesium, aluminium, silicon, potassium, calcium, titanium, and iron in lunar soil and rocks.
• Mineral Mapping: The CLASS X-ray Fluorescence experiment, covering nearly 95% of the lunar surface, offers detailed mineral mapping. Oxygen-rich minerals hold potential for future missions as fuel resources.

Earlier Chandrayaan: Pioneering discoveries

• Water Unveiled: Chandrayaan-1 played a pivotal role in uncovering the presence of water and hydroxyl molecules in the Moon’s atmosphere and surface, particularly in its southern polar regions.
• Subsurface Water-Ice: Payloads like mini-SAR and Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) detected subsurface water-ice deposits within craters near the lunar South Pole.
• Lava Tubes for Habitability: Terrain mapping on Chandrayaan-1 unveiled buried lava tubes that could provide protective habitats for humans, shielding against radiation and extreme lunar conditions.
• Magma Ocean Hypothesis: M3 payload data suggested the possibility of a past magma ocean on the Moon, pointing to its formation and evolution.
• Active Moon: Contrary to previous notions of lunar inactivity, Chandrayaan-1 revealed dynamic lunar processes, including volcanic activity evidenced by lava channels and vents less than 100 million years old.
• Surface-Exosphere Interaction: Measurements indicated that the lunar surface interacts with the exosphere, evident in the emission of carbon dioxide and other gases.
• Solar Mysteries: The Solar X-Ray Monitor on Chandrayaan-2’s orbiter observed solar microflares outside active regions, providing insights into coronal heating mysteries.

Conclusion

• Chandrayaan-3’s scientific journey exemplifies India’s dedication to unraveling the Moon’s mysterious nature.
• As data pours in from its payloads and instruments, the mission builds upon its predecessors, propelling our understanding of lunar geology, composition, and mysteries.