Page 50 - 31OCT2019E

Chandrayaan-2’s

image intact as it

shines over moon

Notwithstanding a failed landing of the Chandrayaan-2
lander, the orbiter continues to send useful and unprecedented
data back to earth, reports younis dar

he recently launched Chan- surface and the XSM payload simul-
drayaan-2 orbiter continues taneously measures the solar X-ray
to do path-breaking sci- spectrum.
ence, helping us understand Among the orbiter’s main objectives
T the features of the moon in is to study the elements and minerals
an unprecedented detail. The orbiter, on the lunar surface, and according to
using its Orbiter High Resolution Cam- ISRO, the timing of the solar flare was
era (OHRC), recently sent some high essential for observing this phenom-
spatial resolution pictures of the moon. enon. Solar flares are the occasional
According to the latest updates from bursts of radiation which result from
the Indian Space Research Organisa- the release of magnetic energy by the
tion (ISRO), the orbiter has also been sunspots. Lasting from minutes to sev-
observing the solar flares emanating eral hours, these are the brightest spots
from the sun, which will help in fur- on the surface of the sun. The X-rays
thering understanding of the lunar emitted by this solar bursts are a good
surface. way for the scientists to study the sun
The measurement of the X-rays and its internal behavior.
from these solar flares was carried
out through one of the eight scientific The mission: Hit or a miss?
payloads onboard the orbiter, which is India’s hopes for landing a rover on
circling the moon above 100 kms from the moon’s surface onboard the Chan-
its surface. The spacecraft will utilize drayaan-2 mission were dashed when,
the X-rays emitted by the sun in an during the descent on the moon’s sur-
innovative way to study elements on face, the space agency lost communica-
the lunar surface. The objective is to tion with the Vikram lander. The world
identify the elements on the lunar watched in awe as India began the con-
surface after studying the behavior trolled descent of the Vikram lander
of the atoms of elements when hit by and the Pragyaan rover on September
solar X-rays. 7. After the successful separation from
According to ISRO, Chandrayaan-2 the orbiter, the lander stopped commu-
orbiter carries two instruments, Chan- nicating with the ISRO when it was at a
drayaan 2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spec- distance of only 2.1 kms from the lunar
trometer (CLASS) and Solar X-ray surface. The observations later con-
Monitor (XSM), to measure the lunar firmed the lander had hard-landed on
elemental composition using this tech- the surface of the moon, and the images
nique. Here, the CLASS payload detects confirmed the lander in a tilted position
the characteristic lines from the lunar on the lunar surface.

Tehelka / 31 october 2019 50 www.Tehelka.com