India’s space agency is aiming to land a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole in a mission that could advance India’s space ambitions and enhance our understanding of lunar water ice, which is considered one of the moon’s most valuable resources. This article explores the significance of water on the moon and the challenges associated with landing on the moon’s south pole.
Scientists have long speculated about the existence of water on the moon, with early samples from the Apollo missions appearing to be dry. However, in 2008, researchers from Brown University discovered hydrogen inside volcanic glass beads from lunar samples. In 2009, a NASA instrument on board the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Chandrayaan-1 probe detected water on the moon’s surface. Additionally, NASA probes in the same year found water ice below the moon’s surface and evidence of high concentrations of water ice in the south pole’s shadowed craters.
The presence of water on the moon is significant for several reasons. It could provide valuable insights into lunar volcanoes, the delivery of materials to Earth by comets and asteroids, and the origin of oceans. Furthermore, if water ice exists in sufficient quantities, it could serve as a source of drinking water for moon exploration and help cool equipment. It could also be utilized to produce hydrogen for fuel and oxygen for breathing, supporting missions to Mars or lunar mining.
While the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty prohibits any nation from claiming ownership of the moon, there are no provisions to prevent commercial operations. The Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led effort to establish principles for moon exploration and resource utilization, has 27 signatories, excluding China and Russia.
The south pole of the moon presents unique challenges for landing missions. Previous attempts have failed, including Russia’s Luna-25 craft, which recently crashed due to control issues. The south pole is characterized by craters and deep trenches, making it more difficult to land compared to the equatorial region targeted by previous missions. However, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is on track for an attempted landing, despite a previous Indian mission’s failure in 2019.
Both the United States and China also have planned missions to the moon’s south pole, highlighting its importance in lunar exploration.
In conclusion, India’s mission to land a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole holds great significance for advancing space exploration and understanding lunar water ice. The presence of water on the moon has various implications, from scientific research to potential resource utilization. However, landing on the moon’s south pole poses unique challenges that need to be overcome.
