Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Payloads of Chandrayaan-I

There are 11 payloads of which 5 are Indian, 3 of ESA, 2 of United States and 1 is from Bulgaria.

The 5 Indian ones are

  1. Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC): For complete mapping of moon topography.
  2. Hyperspectral Imager (HySI): a CCD camera designed to obtain the spectroscopic data for mapping of minerals on the surface of the moon as well as for understanding the mineralogical composition of the moon's interior
  3. Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument (LLRI): To provide necessary data for determining the accurate altitude of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft above the lunar surface. To determine the global topographical field of the Moon as well as to generate an improved model for the lunar gravity field.
  4. High Energy X-ray Spectrometer (HEX): 1st planetary experiment to carry out spectral studies at 'hard' X-ray energies using good energy resolution detectors. Designed to help explore the possibility of identifying polar regions covered by thick water-ice deposits as well as to identify regions of high Uranium and Thorium concentrations.
  5. Moon Impact Probe (MIP):To demonstrate the technologies required for landing a probe at the desired location on the moon.
More at ISRO

Other payloads
  1. Chandrayaan-1 Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS): This instrument intends to carry out high quality mapping of the moon using X-ray fluorescence technique for measuring elemental abundance of Magnesium, Aluminium, Silicon, Iron and Titanium distributed over the surface of the moon.
  2. Smart Near Infrared Spectrometer (SIR-2): This instrument aims to study the lunar surface to explore the mineral resources, the formation of its surface features, the way different layers of the moon's crust lie over one another and the way materials are altered in space.
  3. Sub keV Atom Reflecting Analyser (SARA): The aim of this instrument is to study the surface composition of the moon, the way in which moon's surface reacts with solar wind, the way in which surface materials on the surface of the moon change and the magnetic anomalies associated with the surface of the moon.
  4. The Bulgarian 1
    Radiation Dose Monitor (RADOM):
    This instrument aims to qualitatively and quantitatively characterise the radiation environment in space around the moon’s vicinity. It will help study the radiation dose map of space near the moon at various latitudes and altitudes.
  5. Nasa's 2
    Mini Syntheic Aperture Radar (MiniSAR):
    This is one of the two scientific instruments of the United States flown in Chandrayaan-1 mission
  6. Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3): This is an imaging spectrometer which is intended to assess and map lunar mineral resources at high spatial and spectral resolution to support planning for future targeted missions.
Read more at ISRO


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