Daily Current Affairs : 13-July-2023

Space exploration has always fascinated mankind, and the Moon, our closest celestial neighbor, has been a subject of particular interest. Over the years, various countries and space agencies have conducted different types of moon missions to unravel the mysteries of our lunar companion. This essay explores the diverse categories of moon missions, including flybys, orbiters, impact missions, landers, rovers, and human missions. We will also delve into India’s contributions to lunar exploration through the Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions.

Different Types of Moon Missions
  1. Flybys:
    • Flyby missions involve spacecraft passing near the Moon without entering its orbit.
    • These missions may aim to study the Moon from a distance or may be en route to other planetary bodies or deep space exploration.
    • Examples of flyby missions include Pioneer 3 and 4 by the United States and Luna 3 by the USSR.
  2. Orbiters:
    • Orbiter missions are spacecraft designed to enter lunar orbit and conduct prolonged studies of the Moon’s surface and atmosphere.
    • They are the most common way to study planetary bodies.
    • Chandrayaan-1, launched by India’s ISRO in October 2008, was an orbiter mission.
    • Orbiter missions have provided valuable data about various celestial bodies, including the Moon, Mars, and Venus.
  3. Impact Missions:
    • Impact missions are extensions of orbiter missions.
    • While the main spacecraft continues orbiting the Moon, one or more instruments make an uncontrolled landing on the lunar surface.
    • Despite getting destroyed upon impact, these instruments transmit valuable information about the Moon during their descent.
    • Chandrayaan-1’s Moon Impact Probe (MIP) was an example of an impact mission, providing important data during its crash landing on the Moon.
  4. Landers:
    • Lander missions involve the soft landing of spacecraft on the lunar surface.
    • Luna 9, launched by the USSR in 1966, was the first successful landing on the Moon.
    • Chandrayaan-2, launched by India in 2019, also included a lander, but unfortunately, it crashed on the lunar surface due to a software glitch.
  5. Rovers:
    • Rovers are extensions of lander missions, equipped with wheels to move around the Moon’s surface independently.
    • They collect valuable information that stationary lander instruments cannot obtain.
    • India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission had a rover named Pragyaan, which, unfortunately, could not be deployed due to the lander’s crash.
  6. Human Missions:
    • Human missions involve astronauts landing on the Moon’s surface.
    • Only NASA of the United States has achieved this feat, with six successful manned landings between 1969 and 1972.
    • NASA’s Artemis III mission, planned for 2025, aims to take humans back to the Moon after over 50 years.
India’s Contributions: Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-1: In 2008, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched Chandrayaan-1, India’s maiden moon mission. The spacecraft was carried into space by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Chandrayaan-1 was primarily an orbiter mission, designed to study the Moon from lunar orbit. During its descent, the mission’s impact probe collected crucial data on the Moon’s chemical composition. One of the significant findings of Chandrayaan-1 was the confirmation of water molecules on the Moon, a groundbreaking discovery that revolutionized our understanding of the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-2: India’s second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, was launched in 2019 aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). This ambitious mission aimed to deploy both an orbiter and a lander with a rover. While the orbiter successfully entered lunar orbit and continues to function, the lander encountered a software glitch during its descent, resulting in a crash landing on the Moon. Consequently, the rover, Pragyaan, could not be released for surface exploration.

Important Points:

  • Moon missions can be classified into different types, including flybys, orbiters, impact missions, landers, rovers, and human missions.
  • Flyby missions involve spacecraft passing near the Moon without entering its orbit and can be used for studying the Moon from a distance or on their way to other destinations.
  • Orbiter missions are the most common way to study planetary bodies, and they involve spacecraft entering lunar orbit for prolonged studies of the Moon’s surface and atmosphere.
  • Impact missions are extensions of orbiter missions, where instruments make uncontrolled landings on the lunar surface, providing valuable data before getting destroyed.
  • Lander missions focus on the soft landing of spacecraft on the Moon’s surface, enabling direct observations and measurements.
  • Rovers are extensions of lander missions and are equipped to move independently on the Moon’s surface, gathering valuable information beyond the capabilities of stationary lander instruments.
  • Human missions involve astronauts landing on the Moon’s surface, and so far, only NASA of the United States has achieved this feat.
  • India’s contributions to lunar exploration include Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions.
  • Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, was India’s first lunar mission and primarily an orbiter mission, which confirmed the presence of water molecules on the Moon.
  • Chandrayaan-2, launched in 2019, aimed to deploy an orbiter, lander, and rover, but the lander encountered a software glitch and crashed on the lunar surface, preventing rover deployment.
  • Despite challenges, moon missions have significantly advanced our understanding of the Moon and space exploration, paving the way for future discoveries and missions.
Why In News

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, among several others such as Russia’s Luna 25 and NASA’s Artemis II, represents a significant step forward in international collaboration to explore the lunar surface. As these missions converge towards the moon, they hold the promise of unlocking new scientific discoveries and enhancing our understanding of Earth’s celestial neighbor.

MCQs about Lunar Missions and India’s Chandrayaan

  1. What type of mission involves spacecraft passing near the Moon but not entering its orbit?
    A. Orbiters
    B. Impact Missions
    C. Flybys
    D. Rovers
    Correct Answer: C. Flybys
    Explanation: Flyby missions involve spacecraft passing near the Moon without entering its orbit and are either designed to study the Moon from a distance or are on their way to other planetary bodies or deep space exploration.
  2. Which lunar mission type allows a spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon’s surface?
    A. Orbiters
    B. Impact Missions
    C. Rovers
    D. Landers
    Correct Answer: D. Landers
    Explanation: Lander missions involve the soft landing of a spacecraft on the Moon, allowing for direct observations and measurements on the lunar surface.
  3. What is the primary objective of an orbiter mission?
    A. To study other planets in the solar system
    B. To perform an uncontrolled landing on the Moon
    C. To get into lunar orbit and conduct prolonged studies of the Moon
    D. To send astronauts to the Moon’s surface
    Correct Answer: C. To get into lunar orbit and conduct prolonged studies of the Moon
    Explanation: Orbiter missions involve spacecraft entering lunar orbit to study the Moon’s surface and atmosphere over an extended period.
  4. Which Indian lunar mission confirmed the presence of water molecules on the Moon?
    A. Chandrayaan-1
    B. Chandrayaan-2
    C. Mars Orbiter Mission
    D. None of the above
    Correct Answer: A. Chandrayaan-1
    Explanation: Launched by ISRO in 2008, Chandrayaan-1 was India’s first lunar mission and played a significant role in confirming the presence of water molecules on the Moon’s surface. Chandrayaan-2, on the other hand, encountered challenges during its landing phase and did not achieve the intended rover deployment.

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