For Chandrayaan-2, a niche on moon

Learning from their maiden expedition to earth’s satellite, scientists here are contemplating finding the vehicle, which would go on a second mission, a “resting place” that would be used while the machine is not on duty. A senior Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist told Deccan Herald that the organisation, which is studying the results from Chandrayaan-1 — India’s maiden mission to the moon — will also consider finding a “resting place” for the vehicle as part of the many experiments they are conceptualising. This is being thought of to protect Chandrayaan-2 from the various rays in space, and that the idea was ignited while the scientists were studying the findings of their moon mission. The Chandrayaan-1 mission, a scientist said, identified tubes/tunnels below the surface of the moon, which scientists believe could be used as the “resting lace.”

An Indian instrument onboard Chandrayaan-1—the terrain mapping camera—has found new types of rocks and hollow tunnels.

These rocks and hollow tunnels are contended to have formed after the flow of lava from volcanoes. Scientists say these tunnels have not collapsed but have instead become hollow with interesting features. In this context, they said: “We are still in the conceptualisation phase, the realisation of which is subject to a lot more deliberation and approvals before which we finalise the way we are going to implement this.” Pointing out that Chandrayaan-2 will have a lander, an orbitor (satellite) and a rover, the scientist said the development of the subsystems of the orbiter and the rover was in progress at ISRO centres in Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad. The lander would be provided by Russia.

He said one of the scientific payloads on the mission, ‘Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope’ and another payload’Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer’ are being developed at Laboratory for Electro Optic Systems and ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore.  Disclosing that another set of scientists in Ahmedabad was exploring the possibility of human habitation in these tunnels, the scientist refused to provide more details.