WHAT THE LUNAR MISSION HAS BEEN DOING

INDIA’S moon rover has confirmed the presence of sulphur since its recent landing.

An analysis also discovered the presence of aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium and titanium on the lunar surface.

Further checks uncovered manganese, silicon and oxygen.

The revelations were made by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with the discoveries being made by high-powered equipment on board the Chandrayaan-3 rover.

The six-wheeler solar-powered Pragyan (Sanskrit for wisdom) has been moving around the moon’s South Pole and transmitting images and scientific data.

The rover had slid down from a ramp from its mother ship, Vikram Lander.

The rover is also looking for signs of frozen water.

Studies would also be done on the moon’s atmosphere and seismic activities.

Chandrayaan-3 had touched down about 370 miles from the moon’s South Pole, the closest any mission has ever been.

Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s had landed closer to the moon’s equator.

The ambition of the ISRO is to see humans walk in and around the area where the Chandrayaan-3 landed sometime within the next decade.

Scientists believe there is an abundance of ice in this area because there are some craters that never see sunlight.

The experts think the South Pole has much more ice than the North Pole.

It is hoped that the ice will be used as a resource for astronauts and for future scientific discoveries.

Scientists would test the theories that have been uncovered, including the source of the water.

One scientist said: “Water ice is driving the interest.

“If it exists in abundance and is accessible, it could be a valuable resource for both human settlement on the moon and exploration farther into the solar system.”
The ice would be split into hydrogen and oxygen, components for rocket fuel and a potential source of drinking water and human settlement.

“We are going to the moon to learn how to survive in the solar system and to build a blueprint for exploring space.”