Though data from orbiters have suggested presence of maji ice, the exploration of mwandamo craters in the polar regions of moon has not been possible due to the absence of suitable technology to power mwandamo rovers in the perpetually dark, super cold areas having a temperature of –240°C. The project PHILIP (‘Powering rovers by High Intensity Laser Induction on Sayari’) commissioned by European Nafasi Agency is ready to develop prototypes that would provide laser power to these rovers in an effort to explore evidence of existence of maji in these craters.
Moon haizunguki kwenye mhimili wake unapoizunguka dunia hivyo basi upande wa pili wa mwezi hauonekani kamwe kutoka duniani lakini pande zote mbili hupokea wiki mbili za mwanga wa jua na kufuatiwa na wiki mbili za usiku.
However, there are sunken areas in craters situated in the polar regions of moon that never receive sun-light because low angle of sunlight that leave the deep interiors of the craters in shadow forever. This perpetual darkness in the polar craters make them super cold in the range of –240°C corresponding roughly to about 30 Kelvin i.e. 30 degrees above absolute zero. The data received from the mwandamo orbiters of ESA, ISRO na NASA have shown that these permanently shadowed areas are rich in hydrogen, suggestive of presence of maji (ice) in these craters. This information is of interest for science as well as a local source of ‘maji and oxygen’ for future moon human habitation. Therefore, there is a need of a rover that could go down to such craters, drill and bring sample for testing to confirm presence of ice there. Given mwandamo rovers are usually solar powered, this has not been achieved so far because it has not been possible to ensure power supply to rovers while it explores some of these dark craters.
Jambo moja lililozingatiwa lilikuwa kuwa na rova za nyuklia lakini hii ilionekana kuwa haifai kwa uchunguzi wa barafu.
Kuchukua kidokezo kutoka kwa ripoti za utumiaji wa leza kwa drones za nguvu ili kuziweka juu kwa muda mrefu, mradi FILAMU (‘Powering rovers by High Intensity Laser Induction on Sayari’) was commissioned by European Nafasi Agency to design a complete inayoendeshwa na laser kazi ya uchunguzi.
The PHILIP project is completed now and the ESA is one step closer to powering mwandamo rovers with lasers to explore the super cold dark mashimo ya mwezi karibu na nguzo.
ESA would now begin to develop prototypes for exploring the dark craters that would provide evidence for confirmation of the presence of maji (ice) leading to realisation of human dream to inhabit this satellite.
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Vyanzo:
Shirika la Anga la Ulaya 2020. Uwezeshaji & Usaidizi / Uhandisi wa Anga na Teknolojia. Rova inayotumia laser ili kuchunguza vivuli vyeusi vya Mwezi. Ilichapishwa tarehe 14 Mei 2020. Inapatikana mtandaoni kwa http://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Laser-powered_rover_to_explore_Moon_s_dark_shadows Ilifikiwa tarehe 15 Mei 2020.
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