The Very First Scientific Data Sent By Chandrayaan-3 From The South Pole Of The Moon Is Here. This Is What It Says!

Finally, the Chandrayaan-3, one of ISRO's most determined projects has landed on the moon. While the whole country celebrates this success, ISRO is coming up with even more reasons to celebrate, as some key data is received by ISRO through the mission from the untapped South Polar region of the moon. 

The very first scientific data from the South Polar region of the moon is gathered by ISRO, which indicates the success of the prestigious Chandrayaan-3 mission.

The temperature on the moon is not constant, but rather varies near the surface and on the lunar surface, as recorded by the thermal problem of the Vikram lander.

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Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) records the lunar topsoil's temperature profile surrounding the pole. This will help in understanding the thermal behavior on the surface of the moon, as stated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

"It has a temperature probe equipped with a controlled penetration mechanism capable of reaching a depth of 10 cm beneath the surface. The probe is fitted with 10 individual temperature sensors," the organization further stated.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Here are the first observations from the ChaSTE payload onboard Vikram Lander.

ChaSTE (Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment) measures the temperature profile of the lunar topsoil around the pole, to understand the thermal behavior of the moon's… pic.twitter.com/VZ1cjWHTnd

— ISRO (@isro) August 27, 2023

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The Observations

The moon does not have any atmosphere. The temperature on the moon is not constant either, but it varies excessively across the lunar surface.

In a statement, the Indian Space Research Organization said, "The presented graph illustrates the temperature variations of the lunar surface/near-surface at various depths, as recorded during the probe's penetration. This is the first such profile for the lunar south pole. Detailed observations are underway."

Jitendra Singh, Science Minister, expressed that the high thermal insulation and low density of the moon's layer of rocks, or what is called the regolith, increases its potential as a fundamental building block for upcoming habitats. However, the huge temperature variations require assessment for survivability.

It is interesting to note that a the time of the lunar day and night, the surface of the moon goes through substantial temperature variations. The minimum temperatures go below 100 degrees Celsius at the time of lunar midnight. The maximum, on the other hand, can go above 100 degrees at the time of noon.

The lunar topsoil is porous in nature and is around 5-20 meters thick. The topsoil is being considered as a commendable insulator till now. This phenomenon of the soil along with the absence of air may result in a substantial temperature difference between the top and the interior surface of the regolith.

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What is the ChaSTE?

The Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) is an instrument mounted on the Vikram lander that helps in recording the lunar topsoil's temperature profile. The instrument is equipped with 10-high precision thermal sensors. These will dig into the topsoil of the moon to study variations in temperature. It is the first experiment ever to record and understand the thermophysical properties of the first 10 cm of the surface of the moon.

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