ISRO Confirms Moon Was Once a Fiery Ball of Molten Rock
Landmark Study Published in Prestigious British Scientific Journal
A groundbreaking study by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has confirmed that the Moon was once a hot and fiery ball of molten rock, approximately 4.4 billion years ago. The research, published in the esteemed British scientific journal Nature, is based on data collected by the Pragyan Rover during the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
The Lunar Magma Ocean Hypothesis
The study supports the Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO) hypothesis, which suggests that a Mars-size planetary body struck Earth, leading to the ejection of mass into space, which eventually formed the Moon. The primordial Moon was a molten magma, similar to the Earth’s core, with temperatures around 1500 degrees Celsius.
Analysis of Lunar Soil
The Pragyan Rover analyzed the lunar soil at the Shiv-Shakti point near the South Pole, providing the first in-situ elemental composition analysis of lunar soil in this region. The findings reveal that the lunar soil is not drastically different from Earth’s soil, with a relatively uniform elemental composition.
Implications for Future Lunar Habitation
The study’s results open up possibilities for creating permanent habitation on the Moon in the future. Since the lunar regolith is similar in elemental composition to Earth’s soil, it could be used for agriculture on the Moon, with controlled growth of vegetation in chambers.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission
The Chandrayaan-3 mission made history by soft-landing near the South Pole, a region previously unexplored. The Pragyan Rover traveled 103 meters on the lunar surface, collecting valuable data and providing insights into the Moon’s geology.
Conclusion
ISRO’s landmark study has significantly contributed to our understanding of the Moon’s formation and evolution. The findings have far-reaching implications for future lunar exploration and habitation, making India a pioneer in this field.
