ISRO Tests Chandrayaan-3’s Lander and Rover with Soil Samples from Gunnamalai Village
ISRO scientists have recently conducted tests of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft’s lander and rover using soil samples from Gunnamalai village in Namakkal district’s Chittamboondi. This important step is part of the preparations for the upcoming moon landing mission.
The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which was launched from Sriharikota on July 14, is primarily aimed at exploring the South Pole of the Moon. After its successful launch, the Vikram lander separated from the spacecraft and entered lunar orbit. Subsequently, the lander’s orbit was reduced, bringing it closer to the moon.
ISRO is now determined to achieve the challenging task of landing the lander on the South Pole of the Moon. In order to ensure a safe landing and operation of the lander and rover, ISRO sought the help of soil samples found in Gunnamalai village.
C. Anpahagan, Director of the Center for Geo-Informatics, Department of Geography, Salem Periyar University, explained that this initiative was taken after the success of Chandrayaan-1. Mylaswamy Annadurai, the Chandrayaan-1 project director at that time, discovered the presence of anorthosite, a soil sample on the moon’s surface. He sought assistance from the Department of Geology at Salem Periyar University.
In 2012-13, the presence of anorthosite soil samples in Gunnamalai Village, Chittamboondi, Namakkal District was highlighted. Permission was obtained from ISRO, and around 50 tonnes of the anorthosite soil samples were excavated and sent to ISRO in Bangalore. A specialized laboratory was set up at ISRO’s center with these soil samples, where the lander and rover of Chandrayaan-3 were successfully operated and tested by ISRO scientists.
Usually, conducting tests on lunar soil samples abroad requires a significant amount of money. However, the Department of Geology at Salem Periyar University was proud to present quality anorthosite soil samples to ISRO at a cost of only Rs 10 lakh.
By using these soil samples, the lander and rover were able to be tested for their compatibility and performance on the surface of the moon. This saves crores of rupees in testing costs, and it is a significant achievement for both ISRO and the Department of Geology at Salem Periyar University.
The successful tests of Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover bring us one step closer to another historic moon landing mission. ISRO’s dedication and collaboration with scientific institutions have proven to be invaluable in achieving breakthroughs in space exploration.
– R. Ravi Kumar, News18 Tamil.