Chandrayaan finds water ice on moon
After India’s first lunar mission Chandrayaan – 1 found evidence of water on the moon’s surface, scientists have now discovered more than 40 small craters with water ice on the moon.
Chandrayaan – 1 carried a NASA radar on board which has detected deposits of water ice at both poles of the moon.
Many scientists believe the discovery is very significant. They say water ice could serve as a natural resource for future lunar mission landings, can be liquefied into drinking water and water components could be used to provide breathing air and rocket fuel.
Could this breakthrough unravel much more about the lunar space and the solar system?
Space scientist and former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief, G. Madhavan Nair called this the “finding of the millennium”.
Do you think this discovery will lead to sustainable human presence on the moon?
An Indian on the Moon: not so distant now
In a small town in India’s heartland in 1969, an entire neighbourhood huddled around the radio, sipping tea and waiting for the moment that would change space science for ever.
A hush fell over the crowd as Neil Armstrong’s voice came in over heavy static — “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
The room burst into applause as a controller at the Houston mission control radioed back — “You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue, we’re breathing again.”
Growing up, I never tired of listening to my father’s account of the day humans landed on the moon. He always added wistfully — “One day it will be an Indian walking on the moon.”
As India launched its unmanned moon mission Chandrayaan-1, what was considered an overambitious and daunting prospect back in 1969 does not seem unachievable any more.
With the perfect launch of the lunar probe onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C11) on the cloudy morning of October 22, Indian scientists have proved they have come of age.
The spacecraft has settled into an orbit at a height of about 100 km from the lunar surface and will spend two years scanning it for evidence of water and precious metals.
I’m happy about the fact that we landed the MIP on the moon in the cheapest mission to moon possible. However I will be satisfied if we could do the same with the Indian Economy where we dont have to depend on anything on any other country. We have to be independent in everything we do. Thank you.
Even if Isro or nasa can convert the water to a breathable atmosphere will the moon’s gravitational field be able to hold the atmosphere together. As you know its the earths gravitational feild thats holds our atmosphere together. But the moon’s gravitational feild is just 1/6th of that of the earth’s. Do ISRO or NASA have any ideas of increasing the moons gravitational feild? If so great job……….