Chandrayaan-3 mission aims for pivotal scientific contribution

KUALA LUMPUR: The scientific data collected by Chandrayaan-3 (CY3) mission, India's third lunar exploration which successfully touched down on the moon's surface on Aug 23 is expected to provide critical ground information for international remote sensing endeavours.

Dr T.V. Venkateswaran, a senior Indian scientist at Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous organisation under India's Department of Science and Technology, emphasised that the data collected would enhance the reliability of remote sensing observations conducted globally.

"Equipped with advanced scientific instruments, the CY3 lander and rover during its 14-day mission life will conduct an in-depth investigation into various aspects of the lunar surface and interior.

"The operational timeline aligns with one lunar daylight period, which is approximately 14 earth days, allowing for a comprehensive study of the lunar surroundings," he told Bernama when commenting on the 14-day mission life of CY3.

CY3 lander made a successful soft landing near the South Pole of the moon at 6.04pm on Aug 23. The triumph marks India as the fourth country, following the former Soviet Union, United States, and China, to successfully soft-land on the moon.

The mission is the third Indian lunar exploration mission under the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan programme. It consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, similar to those of the CY2 mission.

Commenting further, the scientist said beyond technological demonstration, the central scientific objective of CY3 involves corroborating remote sensing data collected on the moon, including from CY1 and CY2 orbiters.

"The actual data on the elemental composition and the presence of minerals on the surface of the moon, particularly on the regolith, will validate the remote sensing data collected by the international community. Therefore, this scientific mission holds promise for advancing global science," he added.

In the upcoming phase of the mission, the CY3 lander and rover will engage in a comprehensive exploration of the moon's mysteries.

Dr Venkateswaran underlined their activities, clarifying that this endeavour is grounded in pure science rather than astrology.

The rover's scientific instruments, including the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS), will be calibrated and activated. These tools will be pivotal in identifying sample composition and mineral presence.

"The mission's scientific horizon encompasses understanding lunar seismic activity, investigating the thin plasma layer near the lunar surface, and performing precise measurements of lunar dynamics and gravity through a Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) package," said the scientist.

When asked about data sharing of CY3, Dr Venkateswaran revealed that initially, the data will be shared with the primary organisation like ISRO and later it will be made accessible to legitimate researchers.

He also said there were plans for further lunar exploration including a collaborative effort between ISRO and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) titled LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration), set for 2024-25.

-- BERNAMA