ISRO study reveals evidence for enhanced possibility of water ice in polar craters of Moon | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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ISRO study reveals evidence for enhanced possibility of water ice in polar craters of Moon

Posted 02 May 2024

2 min read

  • The presence of ice will be crucial for constraining the uncertainties in selecting future landing sites and long-term human presence.
    • For astronauts landing on the Moon, water is necessary not only to sustain life but also for purposes such as generating rocket fuel.

 

  • Key-findings of study
    • Origin of ice: Study confirms the hypothesis that the primary source of sub-surface water ice in the lunar poles is due to volcanic activity  in the Imbrian period( approx.3850–3800 Million years ago).
    • The finding also supports a previous study by Chandrayaan-2 related to presence of water ice.

 

  • India’s contribution in finding water on Moon
    • 2009: ISRO’s Chandrayaan-1 detected signs of hydrated minerals in the form of oxygen and hydrogen molecules in sunlit (illuminated by direct light from the sun) areas of the Moon.
    • 2018: Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), an instrument onboard Chandrayaan-1 provided by NASA, played a key role in identifying water on the Moon.
      • M3 revealed multiple confirmed locations of water ice in permanently shadowed (part that never see sunlight) regions of the moon.

 

About Chandrayaan Missions

  • Chandrayaan-1, 2008: To study the chemical, mineralogical and photogeologic mapping of the Moon.
  • Chandrayaan-2, 2019: For studying surface geology, composition and exospheric measurements of Moon.
  • Chandrayaan-3, 2023: To demonstrate end-to-end capability in soft landing and roving on the south pole of lunar surface.
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  • ISRO
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