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Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan Rover Confirms Sulphur Presence on Moon's Surface

  • 31 Aug 2023

India's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has recently announced that Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover module has successfully identified the presence of sulphur on the Moon's surface.

Key Points

  • Sulphur Detection: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed that the Pragyan rover module of Chandrayaan-3 has confirmed the existence of sulphur (S) on the Moon's surface near the south pole.
  • This confirmation was achieved through groundbreaking in-situ measurements using the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) instrument onboard the rover.
  • Wide Range of Elements: In addition to sulphur, the rover has detected various other elements on the lunar surface, including aluminium (Al), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), and oxygen (O).
  • Mission Duration and Extension: The Chandrayaan-3 mission is scheduled to continue until September 6, coinciding with the lunar sunset.
  • LIBS Technique: The data collection process employed the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) technique, developed at the Laboratory of Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS), an ISRO unit specializing in attitude sensors.
  • LIBS involves exposing the material's surface to high-energy laser pulses, creating localized plasma that is analyzed and detected by instruments such as Charge Coupled Devices.
  • Unique Elemental Signatures: Each element exhibits distinctive wavelengths of light, forming unique spectral signatures. Through these signatures, the elemental composition of the lunar surface can be accurately determined.