Chandrayaan-3 Uncovers Evidence of Ancient Magma Ocean on the Moon

On August 22, 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) announced significant findings from its Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed on the lunar surface at the South Pole. This mission has provided crucial data that suggests a vast magma ocean may have existed beneath the Moon‘s surface.

The research, published in the journal Nature, indicates that the lunar region studied contains remnants of chemical features consistent with a once-existing ocean of molten rock. This data expands the understanding of the Moon’s geological history and the processes that shaped its surface.

Scientists involved in the study revealed that the Pragrayn rover, part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, has traveled a distance of 103 meters and conducted 23 analyses of the lunar soil. The results demonstrated the presence of various minerals and chemical compositions that suggest a historical magma ocean cooled to form the Moon’s surface approximately 4.2 billion years ago.

The findings from the Chandrayaan-3 mission align with earlier samples collected from different lunar regions, reinforcing the theory that the Moon’s chemical makeup is uniform across substantial distances. This suggests a significant degree of geological similarity throughout the Moon.

Furthermore, the scientists explained that the materials observed in their study appear to originate from a large impact crater known as the South Pole Aitken basin. The unique geological context of this area indicates a mixing of materials from different depths within the Moon.

This mission stands as a notable achievement, as it marks the first time a rover has been deployed in the lunar South Pole region. The information gathered by the rover contributes valuable insights into the Moon’s formation and the broader understanding of planetary science.