Chandrayaan-3 Pragyan rover links Shiv Shakti soil to ALHA 81005
Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover has helped scientists connect the dots between Moon soil and a rare meteorite, ALHA 81005, found in Antarctica during the 1981-82 Antarctic expedition.
The soil at Shiv Shakti Statio near the Moon's South Pole matches what's inside this meteorite, strongly suggesting they represent the same type of magnesium-rich lunar crust.
Study links meteorite to lunar crust
This study strengthens the connection between a meteorite found on Earth and the Moon's deep ancient crust.
The soil at Shiv Shakti Statio is richer in magnesium and iron (and lower in aluminum) than most lunar surfaces, hinting it was blasted up from deep below by a giant impact long ago.
These findings help scientists piece together how the Moon formed and how its rocks ended up on Earth.