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08 Apr 2025

India’s Trailblazing Discovery - Chandrayaan-1 Unveils Water on the Moon

Written by

The Logical Indian

Introduction

In a groundbreaking revelation at the 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Congress, it was declared that India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission had made a remarkable discovery: the discovery of water ice in the permanently shadowed regions of the moon's poles. This revelation, made by a NASA payload onboard Chandrayaan-1 called Mini-SAR (Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar), has not only sparked excitement in the scientific community but has also showcased India’s prowess in space exploration.

The Distant Discovery

Chandrayaan-1, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2008, marked India’s debut lunar mission. What set it apart was its cost-effectiveness, with a budget of around ₹465 crore ($100 million), challenging the conventional belief that space missions require billion-dollar budgets. Despite its relatively short 312-day mission duration, Chandrayaan-1 managed to provide a wealth of data, keeping scientists intrigued and engaged.
The mission’s initial findings from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) hinted at the possible existence of water on the moon. However, it was the subsequent analysis of data from Mini-SAR, carried out by a joint team of Indian and US scientists, that unveiled the true extent of the discovery. Mini-SAR identified over 40 craters with water ice, ranging from 2 to 15 kilometres in diameter, confirming that water is primarily found in the moon's polar regions.
The significance of this revelation cannot be overstated. Former ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair described it as ‘path-breaking’, emphasising the presence of as much as 600 million metric tonnes of water on the moon’s north pole. This discovery not only enhances our understanding of the moon’s composition but also opens up new possibilities for future lunar exploration and resource utilisation.

Interstellar Implications

Chandrayaan-1’s contribution to the discovery of lunar water didn’t end there. Remote sensing data from the mission, analysed by a team led by researchers from the University of Hawaii, unveiled another aspect of the moon’s water formation process. The study revealed that high-energy electrons from Earth’s plasma sheet could be contributing to the weathering processes on the moon’s surface, ultimately leading to the formation of water.
This finding is crucial for understanding the moon’s evolution and formation, as well as for planning future human exploration. The concentrations and distributions of water on the moon play a pivotal role in these endeavours. The discovery may also shed light on the origin of water ice previously found in the permanently shadowed regions of the moon.
Chandrayaan-1’s success paved the way for subsequent lunar missions, with India’s recent Chandrayaan-3 mission achieving a historic milestone by successfully landing near the moon’s enigmatic south pole. India’s commitment to space exploration and its ability to conduct cost-effective yet groundbreaking missions have positioned the country as a significant player on the global space stage.

Conclusion

As we celebrate India’s achievements in lunar exploration, it is essential to recognise the collaborative nature of scientific discovery. Chandrayaan-1’s data has not only fuelled Indian scientific progress but has contributed to a broader understanding of the moon’s mysteries, benefiting the global scientific community.
India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission stands as a testament to the nation’s capacity to make significant contributions to space exploration. The discovery of water on the moon, along with other groundbreaking findings, cements India’s position as a key player in the ongoing quest to unravel the mysteries of our celestial neighbours.

References

SPS Aviation https://www.sps-aviation.com/story/?id=460&h=Water-on-Moon-Chandrayaan-I-Confirms
The Hindu https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chandrayaan-1-data-suggests-electrons-from-earth-forming-water-on-moon/article67310743.ece
NASA https://science.nasa.gov/missions/mini-rf/nasa-radar-finds-ice-deposits-at-moons-north-pole/
Planetary https://www.planetary.org/articles/water-on-the-moon-guide#:~:text=Based%20on%20remote%20observations%20by,least%2010%20to%2020%20percent.
Astronomy https://www.astronomy.com/science/the-moon-has-less-water-than-we-thought/

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IndiaFirst Life & the logical indian

Headquartered in Mumbai, IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited (IndiaFirst Life), is one of the country's youngest life insurance companies. The Logical Indian is an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian Millennials. IndiaFirst Life and The Logical Indian have come together to showcase India’s rich history of innovation in different fields of life which have made a significant mark on humanity and globally. Please note, The information presented here is the result of a collaborative effort between The IndiaFirst Life, Dentsu Creative & The Logical Indian. All research and fact-finding is credited to Dentsu Creative in association with The Logical Indian.