Chandrayaan-3 has made several landmark discoveries at the Moon's south pole region, significantly advancing our understanding of lunar geology and resources:
- Evidence of Ancient Lunar Magma Ocean: Chandrayaan-3’s Pragyan rover found strong evidence supporting the theory that the Moon once had a global magma ocean. It detected ferroan anorthosite, a rock formed when the Moon's surface was molten, and magnesium-rich materials from deep within the Moon, supporting long-standing hypotheses about the Moon's early molten state.
- Discovery of a 160 km Wide Ancient Crater: The rover identified a buried crater near the south pole likely older than the South Pole-Aitken Basin, providing new insights into the Moon's early geological history.
- Age of Shiv Shakti Point Landing Site: The landing site is about 3.7 billion years old, contemporaneous with early life on Earth. The area’s surface was shaped by ejecta from several older craters and a more recent 540-meter crater.
- More Lunar Water Ice than Previously Thought: Chandrayaan-3 found that sloped regions near the lunar south pole can maintain subsurface temperatures low enough to support stable water ice, even outside permanently shadowed craters. This broadens the potential zones where lunar ice might be found.
- Detection of Primitive Mantle Materials: The rover’s instruments detected unusual elemental mixes, including low sodium and potassium but high sulfur, indicating primitive mantle materials pushed to the surface during the formation of the South Pole-Aitken Basin over 4.3 billion years ago.
- Confirmation of Elements on Lunar Surface: The mission confirmed the presence of elements such as sulfur, aluminum, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon, and oxygen on the lunar surface near the south pole.
These findings together mark a transformative period in lunar science, enhancing understanding of the Moon’s composition, geological history, and the presence of resources critical for future exploration and possible colonization efforts.