Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE)

Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE): The ChaSTE aboard Chandrayaan-3 became the first mission to successfully penetrate the soil of a celestial body to deploy a thermal probe.

• ChaSTE measured in situ temperatures near the Moon’s South Pole, providing crucial data on water ice prevalence.
• About: ChaSTE (Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment) is an instrument onboard Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3 that measured the temperature of the Moon’s surface and subsurface.

  o Features 10 temperature sensors spaced 1 cm apart along its length, near the nose-tip.

  o Uses a rotation-based deployment mechanism for penetration.

  o The probe descends by rotating its motor, encountering increasing soil resistance, confirming depth.

  o Reached a depth of 10 cm and collected temperature measurements until September 2, 2023.

  o Data confirmed higher-than-expected water ice presence in the Moon’s South Pole region.