Anorthosite rocks from Namakkal sent for Isro tests

SALEM: Special validation tests to ensure smooth landing of the 'lander' and 'rover' on the moon's surface in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chandrayaan-2 moon mission, to take off on a GSLV- Mk-III rocket from Sriharikota launch pad in the early hours of Monday, was done on 'Anorthosite' rock pieces unearthed from a village in Namakkal district.

With ISRO's approval, about 50 tonnes of 'Anorthosite' rock mined from Sitthampoondi-Kunnamalai village in Namakkal district, under the guidance of the Geology department of Periyar University in Salem, were powdered and sent to the ISRO headquarters in Benguluru few years ago to help simulate the lunar surface in a special laboratory there, according to the department's director C Anbazhagan.

As 'Anthorosites' are the oldest rocks known to be found on the moon, space scientist Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, who was project director of Chandrayaan-I, had sought the assistance of Periyar University's Geology department to help find the rock samples here to simulate the lunar surface conditions as part of the preparatory tests for the second moon mission, said Anbazhagan on Sunday.

“We informed him that 'Anorthosite' rocks are to be found in Sitthampoondi-Kunnamalai village in Namakkal district,” he said, adding, after ISRO's nod, the rocks in powdered form were sent to ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.

A special research lab was set up by ISRO in Bengaluru where these rock samples were used to simulate the lunar rock surface conditions and “successfully” do the pre-flight mock tests. They helped to ascertain the parameters to be built into the 'Vikram' lander and the 'Pragyan' rover to land smoothly on the moon's rocky  surface, along with the 'orbiter' that will observe the lunar surface.

“We learnt that these lab tests were successfully completed and Periyar University and Namakkal district is proud to be associated with the Chandrayaan-II mission in this fashion by providing the rock samples,” said Anbazhagan.  These 'Anorthosite' rock samples will also help in future Moon missions of ISRO to enable even future 'landers' and 'rovers' to touch down the moon surface safely for conducting scientific experiments by ISRO, he added.

Dr Mayilsamy Annadurai had said that ISRO's Chandrayaan-2 mission was the first of its kind for any space agency in the world, as the “mission will land and explore a region like the South Pole of the moon” that was not done before. The ISRO in this mission is attempting a 'soft landing' on the moon, which he said has to be done with “great amount of precision”.

“The data provided by this combination of an orbiter, lander and rover could be useful in deciding the ideal landing spot for manned missions in future,” Dr Annadurai had said in his launch-eve article.