ChaSTE: Chandrayaan-3’s Breakthrough in Lunar Temperature Measurement

Overview of ChaSTE’s Mission

• Instrument Name: Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE)
• Objective: First in-situ temperature measurement near the Moon’s south pole
• Deployment Date: August 23, 2023 (as part of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander mission)
• Mission Duration: Until September 2, 2023

How ChaSTE Worked

• Design: Featured a rotating probe with 10 temperature sensors spaced 1 cm apart
• Deployment Mechanism:
  • The probe motor rotated to push the needle into the lunar soil
  • Sensors detected temperature changes to confirm penetration depth
  • Maximum penetration: 10 cm below the lunar surface

Key Scientific Achievement

• Confirmed greater prevalence of lunar water ice than previously estimated
• First successful soil penetration for a thermal probe on a celestial body

Comparison with Past Missions

Why ChaSTE Succeeded?

• Used a rotation-based deployment mechanism instead of hammering (as in MUPUS & HP3)
• Overcame soil resistance effectively
• Accurately recorded temperature variations at different depths

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