The discovery of water molecules on Moon by Chandrayaan-1 is all set to alter the course of Chandrayaan-2 scheduled for 2013. Isro
chairman G Madhavan Nair announced the significance of the discovery for India’s future Moon missions at the Isro headquarters, Bangalore, on Friday, hours after Nasa publicly acknowledged Isro’s partnership in this discovery.
Nair began with: ‘‘India has discovered water on Moon. It is a remarkable finding.’’ And added cheekily: ‘‘I would like to disagree with the media which has been saying Chandrayaan-1 is a failure, setback and all that. I believe it is a wonderful mission. I have been saying it is a 95% success, but now I want to say it is 110% success.’’
Describing the finding as ‘pathbreaking’, Nair said: ‘‘The discovery opens up many more questions about the Moon — how much water there is, the quantity, the extent, where it is located...’’
He went on: ‘‘We will revisit the scientific objectives of India’s second moon mission Chandrayaan-2. We’ll see if we can go beyond analysis of soil samples. We’ll explore how we can go down further on Moon, whether we can go down a few centimetres or half a metre... We’ll think of a deeper exploration of the Moon’s crust.’’
‘‘For this, there has to be a mid-course correction of the scientific objectives of Chandrayaan-2. We will certainly do that.’’
On the progress of Chandrayaan-2, Nair said: ‘‘I am under terrific pressure — the number of proposals (for instruments) we have received is so high. We are full at the moment. We are in fact wondering whether and how to create extra capacity to carry all that. We will evaluate every proposal and examine them in the light of our objectives. The revised scientific objectives should be ready latest by March (2010).
It takes three years from conception of mission to design. We are on schedule to launch Chandrayaan-2 in 2013.’’
Returning to the water discovery, Nair said: ‘‘With Chandrayaan-1, India has set the pattern for future explorations. Nasa is thinking of international cooperation in some of its future missions and has a group exclusively for that. Space from now on is global — about global cooperation.’’
The discovery has implications for inter-planetary explorations, Nair said. ‘‘There is abundant sunlight that can be converted into electricity. Hydrogen and oxygen could generate water. Rockets can be filled up. You can think of going to Mars from Moon. Moon could possibly become a base for inter-planetary exploration, manned or unmanned.’’