Bengaluru, May 3 – The Shiva Shakti Point, where India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed its Vikram lander in August 2023, has been identified as a crucial site for lunar sample collection, according to a recent study by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Researchers from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad have found that the site offers an unprecedented opportunity to access primitive mantle materials – materials not present in existing lunar samples from previous missions.
Using the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometers (APXS) aboard the Chandrayaan-3’s Pragyan rover, scientists analyzed the elemental composition of the Moon’s soil in the south polar region. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment, suggest that the region holds key geological insights into the Moon’s early evolution.
The study revealed an unusual depletion of sodium and potassium at the landing site, alongside elevated levels of sulfur. These anomalies point to the presence of ancient lunar mantle materials, likely excavated during the formation of the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin around 4.3 billion years ago. These materials, redistributed by later impacts, are absent in prior lunar collections, making the Chandrayaan-3 site especially valuable for future sample collection missions.
“The low concentrations of sodium and potassium suggest that the region was likely devoid of potassium, rare earth elements, and phosphorus (KREEP) during the SPA basin’s formation,” said researchers involved in the study. This finding is important as it reinforces the notion that the site could provide materials largely missing from the Moon’s current sample repository.
In their detailed analysis, the PRL scientists compared the measurements with previous lunar samples, such as those from Apollo 16 and Luna 20 missions. The results indicated that the Chandrayaan-3 site has 300-500 ppm higher sulfur concentrations, while sodium and potassium levels were notably lower compared to earlier samples.
This marks a significant milestone in India’s lunar exploration efforts and highlights the site’s potential for advancing the understanding of the Moon’s geological history.
