Chandrayaan-3: Another Pragyan Rover Payload Confirms Presence Of Sulphur On Moon’s South Pole. WATCH

The technique used by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectroscope (APXS) payload to confirm the presence of sulphur is different from that used by the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) payload.

Chandrayaan-3: The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectroscope (APXS) payload onboard Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover is now the second instrument to confirm the presence of sulphur on the Moon's south pole, after the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) payload. The technique used by APXS to confirm the presence of sulphur is different from that used by LIBS, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a mission update. Not only has APXS confirmed the presence of sulphur on the Moon's south pole, but has also detected other minor elements. Some of the major elements detected by APXS include aluminium, silicon, calcium and iron.

Now, scientists will explore the potential sources of sulphur on the Moon's south pole, and determine whether the element is intrinsic, or was produced as a result of volcanic explosions or meteoritic activities. 

In a video shared by ISRO on X (formerly Twitter), one can see how APXS analysed the lunar surface. The instrument is 18 centimetres in height. An automated hinge mechanism rotated APXS in order to align the payload's detector head in such a way that it came about five centimetres above the lunar surface. 

This video of APXS analysing lunar samples was captured by the Lander Imager Camera. 

The function of APXS is to conduct in-situ analysis of the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks. The spacecraft has been designed in such a way that it can perform in-situ experiments on the surface of planetary bodies which have a negligible atmosphere. 

APXS contains radioactive materials which emit alpha particles and X-rays towards the lunar surface sample. 

Different elements emit X-ray lines of different wavelengths. Analysing these spectra can help scientists determine the type of elements present in the sample. 

The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, with support from the Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, has developed APXS. The deployment mechanism of APXS has been developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC).

The Pragyan rover’s aim is to find what elements the lunar soil and rocks in the Moon’s south pole are made up of, and how these are different from other highland regions.