About

It was the first mission to discover evidence of water on the Moon. The spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and an impactor probe called the Moon Impact Probe (MIP). The orbiter carried scientific instruments to study the lunar surface, mapping its topography and mineral composition. It also conducted experiments to detect the presence of water molecules and assess the Moon's mineralogy. The MIP, on the other hand, was designed to crash into the lunar surface near the Shackleton Crater, providing valuable data. Chandrayaan-1 operated successfully for about ten months, during which it provided valuable data on the Moon's topography, mineralogy, and temperature variations. It discovered water ice below the lunar surface, challenging the previous belief that the Moon was completely arid. The mission also confirmed traces of hydroxyl—a component of water—on the lunar surface. However, in August 2009, the mission experienced communication problems, leading to the loss of contact with the spacecraft. Despite the communication breakdown, Chandrayaan-1 achieved numerous scientific milestones and contributed significantly to our understanding of the Moon's geological and mineralogical characteristics. Chandrayaan-1 paved the way for future lunar exploration missions, including India's Chandrayaan-2, which successfully launched in 2019 and aims to further explore the Moon's south pole region. The success of Chandrayaan-1 also established ISRO as a space exploration powerhouse and showcased India's technological capabilities in space science.