India’s Chandrayaan 3 successfully landed on the moon’s South Pole. India became the fourth country to achieve this feat after Russia, the US, and China. The Chandrayaan-3 lander deployed the Pragyan rover, which will conduct experiments to study elements, minerals, lunar atmosphere, and more. The rover’s payloads include tools like Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for analyzing surface composition. Chandrayaan-3’s mission is anticipated to last for two weeks, providing valuable insights into lunar exploration.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Chandrayaan-3: India’s lunar exploration mission, which successfully performed a soft landing on the moon’s South Pole. It deployed the Pragyan rover to conduct experiments and collect data about the lunar surface.
- Pragyan Rover: A six-wheeled rover derived from the Sanskrit word for “wisdom.” It carries scientific payloads to analyze the moon’s surface composition, atmospheric conditions, and seismic activity.
- Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS): A scientific instrument onboard the Pragyan rover used to determine the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface by analyzing X-rays and alpha particles emitted from the materials.
- Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS): A tool installed on the Pragyan rover for elemental analysis. It uses laser pulses to create plasma from the surface, allowing the measurement of the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks.
- Mission Life (Lunar Day): The duration of functionality for the Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover on the moon’s surface, equivalent to 1 Lunar Day (about 14 Earth days). During this time, they will carry out various experiments and data collection.