Explained: Why is the world running to explore 'dark side of the Moon’?
Chandrayaan-3 set to land on Moon's South Pole; exploration driven by the presence of water ice in the region.
PremiumChandrayaan-3 is scheduled to land on the South Pole of Earth's satellite Moon on Wednesday, 23 August. 140.76 crore Indians and the world waits with bated breath to see Indian Space Research Oganisation (ISRO)'s spacecraft Chndrayaan-3's lander module make a safe soft landing successfully.
The South Pole of the Moon has a rather rough terrain which makes it difficult for spacecrafts to make a soft landing. This, has also increased the mystery around the south pole of the Moon. NASA has described this area as ‘full of mystery, science and intrigue’
In these regions of the Moon, temperatures plummet to astonishing lows of -414F (-248C) - because the Moon has no atmosphere to warm up the surface. No human has set foot in this completely unexplored world.
Then why is the world running to explore the "the dark side of the Moon"?
Scientists and expert have attributed this to -WATER.
Water on the Moon!
Data gathered by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a Nasa spacecraft that has been orbiting the Moon for 14 years, suggests water ice is present in some of the large permanently shadowed craters that could potentially sustain humanity.
The region's water ice could supply fuel, oxygen and drinking water for future missions, says Reuters.
Water exists as a solid or vapour on the Moon because of the vacuum - the Moon doesn't have enough gravity to hold an atmosphere.
The frozen water untainted by the Sun's radiation might have accumulated in cold polar regions over millions of years, leading to the accumulation of ice on or near the surface. This provides a unique sample for scientists to analyse and understand the history of water in our solar system, reads a BBC report.
Many countries are planning new human missions to the Moon, and the astronauts will need water for drinking and sanitation. Therefore lunar ice could be the alternative locally sourced option for them.
DID YOU KNOW?
India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission was the first to find evidence of water on the Moon in 2008.
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