Chandrayan-3’s Pragyan rover adopts LIBS technology used in aluminium recycling

Chandrayan-3’s Vikram lander, making Indians proud worldwide, has successfully dispersed the Pragyan rover on the Moon’s surface. This makes India the first country to soft-land on Moon’s South Pole, creating history. But what intrigued us the most was what followed after the landing.

On August 23, as the world had its eyes fixed on this enigmatic phenomenon orchestrated by ISRO, the Vikram lander found its spot on the Moon exactly at 6.04 p.m. IST. Upon complete powering of the Vikram lander, the Pragyan rover was deployed, which required over four hours for complete rollout. The lander unit consisted of both the Pragyan rover and the Vikram lander and was transported to a 100-kilometre circular lunar orbit by the propulsion module. Following this, the propulsion and lander modules were detached, leading the Vikram lander to an untainted glory.

Two separate payloads have been attached to the Pragyan rover: Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). APXS will be fundamental in defining the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks along the rover’s way. While the LIBS technology will help determine qualitative and quantitative measures of the elements so that the scientists at home can catalogue the chemical and mineralogical composition of the lunar surface. The probable elements to be scrutinised are potassium, magnesium, calcium, titanium, iron, silicon and aluminium.

What excites us is the use of LIBS, as it is quite recurrent in the recycling aluminium sector, where companies determine the quality of scrap with the help of the same technology. Leading metal recyclers in the aluminium industry, like Steinert GmbH, Tomra, and Ocean Insight, have all showcased their patented LIBS technologies from time to time. It feels surreal to think what’s happening on the Moon now is being applied in some aluminium recycling facility on our planet.

Also, inputs are flowing in about six public sector units and 20 private companies from Kerala who have decently helped procure titanium and aluminium parts to create Chandrayan-3. Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML) provided the titanium sponge metal for making precisely engineered components. At the same time, Steel and Industrial Forgings Ltd (SIFL) supplied the titanium and aluminium forgings alongside other relevant accessories. Other manufacturers of space components from the state have extensively contributed to making this age-old obsession come true.

AL Circle wishes all the ISRO scientists, the component manufacturers, the logistical engineers and other associated people with the project the heartiest congratulations. May this be just the beginning of a remarkable journey beyond the territories of human imaginations.