Chandrayaan-1 was India's first mission to the Moon, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation2008. The spacecraft made more than 3,400 orbits around the Moon and was operational until August 28, 2009. Though the mission was planned to last for two years, it was terminated when communication with the spacecraft was lost.
The mission had both scientific and technological objectives, including preparing a three-dimensional atlas of the lunar surface and conducting chemical and mineralogical mapping. One of its most significant findings was the detection of water molecules on the lunar surface.
Mission Objectives
Chandrayaan-1 was designed to expand scientific knowledge about the Moon, upgrade India's technological capabilities, and provide challenging opportunities for planetary research for the younger generation of Indian scientists. The specific scientific objectives were:
- Preparation of a three-dimensional atlas of the lunar surface
- Chemical and mineralogical mapping of the entire lunar surface
- Investigation of the distribution of specific elements and their chemical states
- Study of the lunar exosphere
- Provide new insights in understanding the Moon's origin and evolution
The Moon Impact ProbeA probe that was deliberately crashed into the lunar surface near the south pole (MIP) successfully impacted the lunar south pole on November 14, 2008, making India the fourth country to place its flag on the Moon. Chandrayaan-1 confirmed the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface through its Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument, a finding later corroborated by NASA.
Mission Timeline
Chandrayaan-1 launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, aboard a PSLV-XL rocket.
Successfully entered lunar orbit after a series of orbit-raising maneuvers around Earth.
The Moon Impact Probe separated from the orbiter and made a hard landing on the lunar surface near the south pole, collecting valuable data during its descent.
Conducted detailed mapping and analysis of the lunar surface with its suite of scientific instruments.
The star sensors onboard started malfunctioning, leading to difficulties in determining the spacecraft's orientation.
ISRO lost communication with Chandrayaan-1, effectively ending the mission after 312 days in orbit, significantly short of its intended two-year mission period.
Scientific Payloads
Chandrayaan-1 carried 11 scientific instruments, five from India and six from international partners:
Indian Instruments
- Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC)
- Hyperspectral Imager (HySI)
- Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument (LLRI)
- High-Energy X-ray Spectrometer (HEX)
- Moon Impact Probe (MIP)
International Instruments
- Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS) - UK
- Near-Infrared Spectrometer (SIR-2) - Germany
- Sub-keV Atom Reflecting Analyzer (SARA) - Sweden
- Radiation Dose Monitor (RADOM) - Bulgaria
- Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) - USA
- Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini-SAR) - USA
Scientific Discoveries
Chandrayaan-1's most significant discovery was confirming the presence of water molecules on the lunar surface, a finding that had enormous implications for our understanding of the Moon and future lunar exploration. The discovery was made by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), which detected absorption features near 2.8-3.0 μm on the lunar surface.
Other notable discoveries and achievements include:
- Creating a detailed map of the lunar surface with unprecedented resolution
- Detecting signatures of magmatic water in lunar rocks
- Discovering new types of rock on the lunar surface
- Providing detailed imaging of the lunar north and south poles
- Detecting enhanced levels of titanium-rich areas on the lunar surface
Legacy and Impact
Chandrayaan-1 marked India's entry into planetary exploration and demonstrated the country's capability to design, build, and operate a complex deep-space mission. The mission's success, particularly the discovery of water molecules on the Moon, influenced the planning and objectives of future lunar missions worldwide.
The data collected by Chandrayaan-1 continues to be analyzed and has contributed to numerous scientific papers, expanding our knowledge of the Moon. The mission paved the way for Chandrayaan-2, a more ambitious follow-up mission launched in 2019, and the planned Chandrayaan-3 mission, focusing on a lunar landing.
