Space Topics: Chandrayaan-1
Mission Objectives
Chandrayaan-1 has two general goals:
- Map the lunar surface features from space and observe the presence
of radioactive isotopes to help researchers determine the origins of
the Moon
- Successfully build up and maintain ground support systems, communications
systems, and data reception and interpretation systems. In addition,
this mission will prove the increasing technical and scientific capabilities
of India.
Additionally, there are specific parts of the Moon that the science instruments
will focus on:
- the permanently shadowed north and south polar regions
- areas where there may be ice, especially at the poles
- highland rocks
- central upland large lunar craters, where there is probably exposed interior
material
- height variation of lunar features
- X-ray coverage of most of the Moon's
surface
The north pole of the Moon as seen by SMART-1
Captured from a distance of 60,000 kilometers (36,000 miles) on November 12, 2004, this photo represents the first glimpse of the lunar far side by a European spacecraft. As seen from Earth, the Moon was just about at new phase, but SMART-1 peeked over the North Pole to photograph the lunar farside.
Credit: ESA / Space-X, Space Exploration Institute
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