Lunar mosaic of the south polar region of Moon. Credit: Getty Images
A detailed map of an alternate landing site (ALS) on the Moon's South Pole reveals a hazard-free terrain for future landings. The site is 450 km from where India's last Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 landed1.
Materials ejected from nearby impact craters blanket the ALS. Future lunar missions can analyze samples without sending a rover to the craters.
The results could then be compared with past missions such as Apollo 17, says a team of researchers at the Physical Research Laboratory and the Space Application Centre in Ahmedabad.
The ALS was first identified before the Chandrayaan-3 mission, but not much was known about the terrain.
The scientists prepared a map of ALS based on images and data sent by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Chandrayaan-2 and a digital elevation model.
The alternate site has a smooth topography with a comparatively elevated central part. It is flanked by several fresh craters on the south western side and has a high density of boulders. The site shows a peak temperature variation of 40 Kelvin.
One of the craters, the young Tycho formed 108 million years ago, indicates that the ALS is much younger than the spot where Chandrayaan-3 landed.
