📷 Image Credits: The Times of India
India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has unveiled new insights into the lunar surface at the Moon’s southern high-latitude region, thanks to the Pragyan rover’s exploration. The findings shed light on the distribution and origin of rock fragments in the area, marking a significant advancement in our understanding of lunar geology. The Pragyan rover, deployed by the Vikram lander, covered approximately 103 meters on the lunar surface during a single lunar day, exploring the Nectarian plains region between the Manzinus and Boguslawsky craters. This area is of great scientific interest. India has designated the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander’s touchdown site as the Shiva Shakti Point. During its exploration, Pragyan encountered numerous small rock fragments ranging from 1 to 11.5 centimeters in size. These fragments were found scattered around the rims, wall slopes, and floors of small craters, each no larger than 2 meters in diameter.
The new findings were presented earlier this year at the International Conference on Planets, Exoplanets, and Habitability. Researchers observed an increase in both the number and size of rock fragments as the rover moved approximately 39 meters westward from its landing site. The study suggests that a nearby crater, about 10 meters in diameter and located to the west of the landing site, could be the source of these rock fragments. This ‘western crater’ likely excavated and redistributed the rocks across the surrounding area, with these fragments being buried multiple times due to the lunar regolith overturning mechanism, only to be re-exposed by the smaller craters encountered by Pragyan during its journey.
Of particular interest, two of the rock fragments showed signs of degradation, indicating they have undergone space weathering. This observation provides valuable data on the processes affecting lunar surface materials over time, supporting previous studies suggesting a gradual coarsening of rock fragments within the lunar regolith. Experts highlight the success of the Pragyan rover in collecting this detailed information as a testament to the importance of in-situ exploration in advancing lunar science. As space agencies plan future missions to the Moon, insights from Chandrayaan-3 will inform strategies for further exploration and potential resource utilization on our celestial neighbor. The accomplishments of Chandrayaan-3 highlight India’s significant contributions to lunar exploration and geology, paving the way for future endeavors in lunar research.
