India's Chandrayaan-3 Takes the Moon's Temperature Near Lunar South Pole for First Time

India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has taken the moon's temperature near the lunar south pole for the first time, scientists with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced on Sunday.

After witnessing a hazardous crater, the Pragyan rover retraced its path to get to safety. This image of the path was taken by its navigation camera. (Image credit: ISRO)

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Here are the first observations from the ChaSTE payload onboard Vikram Lander.

ChaSTE (Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment) measures the temperature profile of the lunar topsoil around the pole, to understand the thermal behaviour of the moon's… pic.twitter.com/VZ1cjWHTnd

— ISRO (@isro) August 27, 2023

Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
🔍What's new here?

Pragyan rover roams around Shiv Shakti Point in pursuit of lunar secrets at the South Pole 🌗! pic.twitter.com/1g5gQsgrjM

— ISRO (@isro) August 26, 2023

The ChaSTE experiment, or Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment, used a temperature probe and 10 individual temperature sensors to measure temperature profiles of lunar south pole soil. The goal of the experiment is to help scientists understand the thermal behavior of the moon's surface.

The results of the ChaSTE experiment showed that the temperature of the moon's surface near the south pole varies depending on the depth. The temperature at the surface is about 45 degrees Celsius, but it drops to about -10 degrees Celsius at a depth of 10 centimeters.

The ChaSTE experiment is one of several scientific experiments that Chandrayaan-3 is conducting on the moon. The spacecraft also has a rover, Pragyan, which is exploring the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3's mission to the lunar south pole is a major milestone for India's space program. The spacecraft's successful landing and the data it is gathering are helping scientists learn more about the moon and its potential resources.