The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) recently hinted at a potential seismic activity on the Moon.
This intriguing discovery comes from the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s Vikram lander, which has been conducting experiments on the lunar surface.
The Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), a cutting-edge tool onboard the Vikram lander, made this detection possible.
Impressively, ILSA is the Moon’s inaugural instrument developed using Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. Its innovative design, complete with six state-of-the-art accelerometers, plays a crucial role in gauging vibrations.
The tool’s design is such that external tremors cause its internal spring to move. This movement then gets translated into an electric signal, offering insights into the nature and magnitude of the tremor.
The prime goal of ILSA is to gauge tremors – whether they’re natural like quakes, or are a result of impacts or even man-made activities. “Vibrations from the Pragyan rover’s movement on August 25 were easily detected.
However, another event that occurred a day later on August 26, 2023, which seems to be of natural origin, is currently being closely studied,” mentioned ISRO.