Sodium Found On Moon: Indian Space Research Organization's, ISRO’s prized Chandrayaan-2 mission has received huge success. For the first time ever, traces of abundant sodium on the surface of the Moon have been found by the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter. 

The splendid discovery of sodium is mapped by the Orbiter's X-ray spectrometer, CLASS.

CLASS was developed at the U R Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in Bengaluru, which offers precise signatures of sodium because of its high sensitivity. The Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (C1XS) was used to study the sodium content of the Moon after it discovered sodium from its distinctive line in X-rays. 

ISRO said that sodium lacks a distinguishing signal in the visible or near-infrared spectrum, so it had not been the subject of remote sensing observations. 

According to researchers, the sodium layer may only be flimsily bonded to the Moon's soil particles. If this sodium is a component of the Moon's minerals, then solar wind or UV rays can easily propel these sodium atoms off the Moon's surface.

What Is the Chandrayaan-2 Mission About?

Chandrayaan-2 is the second lunar mission of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). It was successfully launched on July 22nd, 2019 from the Sriharikota range. Chandrayaan-1, which launched in October 2008 and operated for 10 months, is the precedent of this mission. 

Chandrayaan-2 has new technology and upgraded instrumentation designed for planetary missions in the future. It comprises a lunar Orbiter, Lander (known as Vikram) and Rover (known as Pragyan), all of which were developed in India. 

The objective of the Chandrayaan-2 mission is to map and investigate the differences in the surface composition as well as the presence and distribution of water on the surface of the moon. Chandrayaan-2 will also conduct some scientific experiments and explore the magnetic field of the moon. 

However, Vikram Lander crashed in the Southern Hemisphere of the Moon in 2019. 

Chandrayaan-2 Equipment

Terrain Mapping Camera 2 (TMC 2): This is used to study the surface of the moon in the panchromatic spectral region from orbit with a high spatial resolution of 5 meters.

Chandrayaan 2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS): CLASS analyzes the X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectra of the Moon to map out the existence of elements on its surface.

Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM): It measures the rays emitted by the sun and how intense the radiation in those sun rays is. 

Orbiter High-Resolution Camera (OHRC): It captures the landing location from two angles to create DEMs (Digital Elevation Models). The DEMs are then used to look for plausible threats. 

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): The radar system is used to measure the thickness and electrical conductivity of the Moon’s bedrock and find water ice inside craters that are always under a shadow.

Imaging Infrared Spectrometer (IIRS): Maps the distribution of molecular water and hydroxyl (OH) in the northern latitudes of the moon.

Chandra Atmospheric Composition Explorer 2 (ChACE-2): Chace is used to collect atom samples from the atmosphere over the northern latitudes of the Moon.

Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) experiment: It studies the temporal evolution of electron density in the Moon’s ionosphere.

What’s Next?

In November 2019, officials from ISRO announced that Chandrayaan-2’s successor, Chandrayaan-3, a new lunar lander mission proposal, is being studied to be launched in August 2022. 

Also Read | Chandrayaan 3 launch scheduled for August 2022: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Chandrayaan-3 would be a second attempt to show off the landing capabilities required for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission that has been proposed in collaboration with Japan for 2024.