The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope instrument aboard Chandrayaan-3’s ‘Pragyan’ rover has unequivocally confirmed the presence of sulfur on the lunar surface near the south pole, through first-ever in-situ measurements, ISRO said Tuesday.
It also said that, as expected, the instrument also detected aluminum, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon and oxygen.
“The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument aboard the Chandrayaan-3 Rover has made the first-ever in-situ measurements of the elemental composition of the lunar surface near the south pole. These in-situ measurements confirm the presence of sulfur (S ) in the region unequivocally, something that was not feasible with the instruments on board the orbiters,” the space agency said in a statement.
According to ISRO, LIBS is a scientific technique that analyzes the composition of materials by exposing them to intense laser pulses.
“A high-energy laser pulse is focused on the surface of a material, such as a rock or soil. The laser pulse generates an extremely hot and localized plasma. The collected plasma light is spectrally resolved and detected by detectors such as Charge Coupled Devices. Because each element has a characteristic emits a range of light wavelengths when it is in a plasma state, the elemental composition of the material is determined,” the report said.
Preliminary analyzes have revealed the presence of aluminum (Al), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), and titanium (Ti) on the lunar surface. Further measurements have revealed the presence of manganese (Mn), silicon (Si) and oxygen (O).
“A thorough investigation into the presence of hydrogen is underway,” said ISRO.
The LIBS instrument was developed at the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems at Peenya Industrial Estate, Bengaluru, where India’s first satellite was manufactured in 1975.
India made history on August 23 when ISRO’s ambitious third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module (LM) landed on the lunar surface, making it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and the first country to explore the unknown south pole of Earth’s only natural place. reached. satellite.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the decision to name the spot where the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander made a soft landing ‘Shiv Shakti Point’ and the spot where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crashed into the lunar surface in 2019 would become known as “Tiranga Point”.
Also, August 23, the day the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface, would be celebrated as “National Space Day,” Modi had said.
