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Moon Impact Probe Hits Paydirt (or pay-regolith…)

by Nancy Atkinson on November 14, 2008

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close up pictures of the moon's surface taken by Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on November 14, 2008

close up pictures of the moon's surface taken by Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on November 14, 2008


The lunar impactor from the Chandrayaan-1 mission today successfully made it to the surface of the moon, impacting inside the Shackleton crater on the moon’s south pole. Above is an image transmitted back by the 34 kg box-shaped MIP (Moon Impact Probe) before it slammed into the moon. Incoming!!! The MIP carried three instruments, and data was successfully transmitted from the 25-minute descent of the probe after it was ejected from the orbiting Chandrayaan-1. The impact, however caused a cessation of the instruments’ transmissions, but not before providing useful descent data. The ISRO has already released a couple of images.

close up pictures of the moon's surface taken by Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on November 14, 2008

close up pictures of the moon's surface taken by Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on November 14, 2008


The instruments included a video imaging system, a radar altimeter and a mass spectrometer. The video imaging system took pictures of the moon’s surface as MIP approached and the radar altimeter measured the rate of descent. These two instruments will help subsequent lunar missions for the ISRO, aiding in future soft landing missions to the moon. The mass spectrometer studied the extremely thin lunar atmosphere.

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The MIP. Credit: ISRO

The MIP. Credit: ISRO


Here’s a recap of the probe’s mission today from the ISRO:

“MIP’s 25 minute journey to the lunar surface began with its separation from Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft at 20:06 hrs (8:06 pm) IST. This was followed by a series of automatic operations that began with the firing of its spin up rockets after achieving a safe distance of separation from Chandrayaan-1. Later, the probe slowed down with the firing of its retro rocket and started its rapid descent towards the moon’s surface. Information from the instruments was radioed to Chandrayaan-1 by MIP. The spacecraft recorded this in its onboard memory for later readout. Finally, the probe had a hard landing on the lunar surface that terminated its functioning.”

Chandrayaan-1 is now in its science orbit. During the spiraling flight to the moon, two payloads were turned on – the Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC) and Radiation Dose Monitor (RADOM). The eight other instruments on board will be activated in the coming days.

Source: ISRO

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About

Nancy Atkinson is Universe Today's Senior Editor. She also is the host of the NASA Lunar Science Institute podcast and works with the Astronomy Cast and 365 Days of Astronomy podcasts. Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador.

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  • KT Narayana

    Both NASA and ESA have been pioneers. They accomplished their missions 50 years before India did the same. The Indian Space Scientists have benefited significantly from the strides made by the Americans and the Europeans. So claiming post-fact that Indians can do better than Americans is too much chest thumping. Knowledgeable Americans, including this writer, appreciate the strides the Indian Scientists are making. By the same token scientific achievement everywhere has to be recognized for innovation, creativity and originality and the pioneering scope. I think folks should appreciate all the scientists on this planet who studied outer space.

  • dollhopf

    Indian Says:
    November 14th, 2008 at 6:23 pm

    “Jagadish, save us from the drama here. This is a scientific site.”

    Indian,

    do you make the rules about what somebody is allowed to post here? Or do you just try to.

    Of course if you make the rules than give us an email address so that everybody can bring his or her comments before you before they are allowed to submit them here.

  • milon

    congratulation to india its a grate achievement

  • SPA2

    From the time India contributed to the number system we use today, and to the most popular Indo-European language we’re conversing here in, we are all in this together, and we have always leveraged off of each other.

    We stand on shoulders of giants only to become giants for other noble humans to stand upon. Let our tradition of sharing knowledge with the world continue once again, as it is happening now, after a 1000 years of invader rule.

    This has been the most transparent and the most collaborative moon mission so far – somewhat of an inexpensive, “open source” platform of the space-farer’s world.

  • Dr. Mike Sage

    In order for our species to progress we need to do research in all scientific fields, yes lots of money is wasted in the pursue of knowledge but it is a necessary evil as is insurance premiums. What about all the money that spent on keeping all nonproductive assets instead of recycling them, which would free up more money for science.

    The challenge the world faces seems to be a topic no one is willing to discuss and that is the over population of the planet. If we do not get that under control, it makes no difference how much we spend on science.

    If you want more saving in science, the space programs of all countries combined under one organization, but that may never occur because of men varies degrees of greed, selfishness, cultural differences, national pride, etc.

    Good science India, keep up the good work, do not forget to share the results with those who came before you that share all their knowledge with you.

  • Biju

    Whatever people say, Madhavan Nair and team done a wonderful job. We congratulate them and vishing them success on their future missions.

    biju

  • Feenixx

    dollhopf asks:
    “What does that lunar atmosphere consist of?
    …..
    Is it floating dust of regolith?”

    “Atmosphere” translates as “gas ball” or “vapour ball” – dust alone doesn’t make an atmosphere.

    The moon’s atmosphere is mainly argon, some helium, a tiny bit of methane, oxygen, nitrogen… and traces of carbon dioxide and monoxide – in total about 80000 atoms per cubic cm. That’s “almost no atmosphere”… ah well…

  • jai

    i would be great if they have send a soft landing probe.The probe lasted its journey for 25 minutes on air taking pictures of the moon and its is dead when it crashed on the moon within 5 secs.

    Hope ISRO has great mission ahead like Chandraayan 2(It is going to have a soft lander for rover) and manned mission for moon, i think it also has Mars mission in its account.

    I am very proud that india is well poised for its space technology compared to developed nations and as many suggessted it has carried instruments of many countries which makes as a open source for space.

    People may say that there is poverty and poors are suffering , true but we have to look at a broader view and appriciate all our scientist who worked for our country to make the mission sucessful.Hope many indian scientists abroad may join hands with ISRO in future.

    cheers!!!!

  • Raymond

    To LLDIAZ,

    To feed the poor you need money, to earn money you need to sell goods, To sell goods you need competitive edge(better Tech and lower cost). And better Tech is developed thru advanced scientific projects like these. There are spin-off technologies that give competitive edge to a nation’s products. Diskless Hard-drive was first developed for Space then used for Military and now it is about to enter commercial laptops. Non-stick frying pans technology owes it to space tech too.
    Feed the poor unconditionally and they will not even want to come out of poverty. In Sri-lanka, free government money distribution to poor led many poor to blow away that cash on booze.
    Congratulations India.

  • dollhopf

    Raymond,

    a colleague at work (he is originally from West Africa) had a liaison with a local (German) chick. He visited her family and found the grandmother (an alcoholic) depending on “Sozialhilfe” while the mother received “Hartz IV”. And the girl itself received Hartz IV, too. He tried to persuade her to go to work, but she is much too content with her current conduct of life.

    “To feed the poor you need money” but to feed people means also that they can unlearn to supply themselves. And in Germany there is a lot of money is simply going into “feeding the poor”. More money than is used for education and science. But it seems that nobody is ever satisfied with the results. I prefer to “feed” space missions than self-imposed immaturity.

    But of course all the poverty in the world is not that easily explained. poverty in the world is not so easily explained.

  • dollhopf

    Feenixx Says:

    The moon’s atmosphere is mainly argon, some helium, a tiny bit of methane, oxygen, nitrogen… and traces of carbon dioxide and monoxide – in total about 80000 atoms per cubic cm. That’s “almost no atmosphere”

    I wonder whether low gravity exhaustively explains the low density. Would it not be higher if the moon was enveloped by a magnetosphere, because the solar wind does carry away gas from the unprotected surfaces. Wouldn’t a magnetosphere in combination with natural sources for gas let the density be much higher?

  • DJ_Pat

    Can we have some data (interesting facts to know about the MIP impact) like:
    1. What was speed of impact?
    2. How big is the size of impact crater?
    3. What may be the equivalent energy generated by the MIP impact in TNT?
    4. Was the impact site chosen has any scientific value for us or it was not pre-selected at all ?

  • Mr Obvious

    People aren’t hungry due to lack of funds, material or food stuffs. They are hungry because war lords and other tyrrants keep it away from people.

    Take your pitty to a web site which actually goes after these individuals in Africa, N. Korea etc; instead of wasting your breath here, where it will do no good.

  • BhootNaath

    Video of southern polar region of Moon taken by the Terrain Mapping Camera:

    http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c11/videos/tmc.htm

    Rgds,
    BhootNaath

  • Paul Eaton-Jones

    Yes, well done India. The current crop of scientists in India are just part of a long line of brilliant physicists and mathematicians. There’s no doubt India and China will go on and make huge strides in space technology and exploration should they want to.

  • Khalil

    “Where’s the video this impactor returned during its fall to the lunar surface?”
    It got looted by the invaders.

  • Khalil

    Where’s the video this impactor returned during its fall to the lunar surface?
    It got looted by the invaders.

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