ISRO's Chandrayaan-2 Detects Strong Signs of Water Ice in Lunar Craters

New Delhi. India's space research organization ISRO's lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 has made an important scientific discovery about the moon. Scientists have found strong signs of water ice beneath the surface within deep craters near the moon's south pole. This discovery was made based on data received from ISRO's Chandrayaan-2 orbiter.

This study was conducted by scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. They studied craters in the moon's south polar region, which are never reached by sunlight. These areas are called permanently shadowed regions. The temperature here can drop to minus 248 degrees Celsius, making it possible for ice to remain preserved for a long time.

Which technology was used?

In this study, the Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR) installed on Chandrayaan-2 was used. This radar is capable of studying the moon's surface and subsurface layers. By analyzing the radar signals, scientists have identified four craters where the possibility of subsurface ice is highest.

During the research, scientists used a new analytical technique that helps distinguish whether radar signals come from rocks or ice. For this, two indicators named Circular Polarization Ratio and Degree of Polarization were used.

According to scientists, a small crater about 1.1 kilometers wide within the Faustini crater has emerged as the strongest candidate, where signs of subsurface ice have been received. 

The presence of water on the moon is considered extremely important for future space missions. According to scientists, this water can be used for drinking, producing oxygen, and making rocket fuel, which will help enable long-term human presence on the moon in the future.

In recent years, the south pole of the moon has become a major center for space missions worldwide. India's Chandrayaan-2 made history by successfully landing near this region in 2023. 

Although Chandrayaan-2's lander could not land successfully in 2019, its orbiter is still active and continuously sending important scientific data.