An unplanned manoeuvre by ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander in 2023 has led to fresh insights into the Moon’s south polar surface, with scientists saying the findings could aid future lunar missions, including NASA’s Artemis programme.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched on July 14, 2023, successfully achieved a soft landing near the Moon’s South Pole on August 23, making India the first country to land in the region.
The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover were originally designed to function for about one lunar day, or 14 Earth days, carrying scientific instruments to study the lunar surface and soil.
Towards the end of the mission, ISRO used leftover fuel to perform an unexpected “hop” manoeuvre with the Vikram lander. The experiment, initially seen as a last-minute operational decision, has now provided scientists with new information about the composition and diversity of lunar soil at Shiv Shakti Point, the landing site.
According to researchers, the findings suggest the lunar regolith in the region is more varied and complex than previously understood.
Data from the Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment, or ChaSTE, helped scientists analyse the thermal and physical properties of the soil, producing the first in-situ measurements from the Moon’s high-latitude terrain.
The discovery is being viewed as significant for future long-term lunar exploration efforts. Scientists believe a better understanding of the Moon’s surface conditions could support plans for permanent human presence on the lunar surface under missions such as NASA’s Artemis programme.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission was also intended to demonstrate India’s ability to carry out a safe and controlled lunar landing after the unsuccessful landing attempt of Chandrayaan-2.