Science & Technology

Chandrayaan-3 Soil at Shiv Shakti Station Linked to First Lunar Meteorite ALHA 81005

By TestNeeti Editorial TeamPublished Sunday, 5 July 2026 2 min readSource: The Shillong TimesArticle 11 of 17

The soil analysed by Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover in the Moon's southern high-latitudes on the nearside has a geochemical composition closely resembling that of the first meteorite confirmed to have a lunar origin, called ALHA 81005, according to a new study. Both the meteorite and the soil at the Shiv Shakti Station (Chandrayaan's landing site) contain nearly similar amounts of aluminium oxide and a combination of iron oxide and magnesium oxide. The study, titled "Chandrayaan-3 APXS measurements reveal Lunar highland compositional diversity and meteorite connections", was conducted by scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, and published in the npj Space Exploration journal, ISRO said. The findings indicate both represent a similar magnesium-rich lunar crust and regolith, opening new avenues to understand the formation of the ancient lunar crust.

Key Facts & Details

8 points

1
Soil analysed by Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover at Shiv Shakti Station geochemically resembles the first confirmed lunar meteorite, ALHA 81005.
2
Both contain nearly similar amounts of aluminium oxide and a combination of iron oxide and magnesium oxide.
3
The study was conducted by scientists at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, and published in npj Space Exploration.
4
The findings do not mean the meteorite came from Shiv Shakti Station, but that both represent a similar magnesium-rich lunar crust and regolith.
5
ALHA 81005 was discovered in the Allan Hills region of Antarctica during a 1981-1982 expedition.

Deep Dive

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The soil at Shiv Shakti Station is a mixture of materials from different layers of the Moon's crust, including fragments likely from deeper layers.
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The link to the Moon's first recognised meteorite opens new avenues for understanding the formation of the ancient lunar crust.
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The APXS (Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer) measurements underpinned the compositional analysis reported in the study.

Exam Focus

Examiners may ask the name of the first lunar meteorite (ALHA 81005), the landing site name (Shiv Shakti Station), or the institute that conducted the study (PRL Ahmedabad).

Exam Relevance & Angle

Chandrayaan-3 science outcomes are prime exam material. The precise hooks are ALHA 81005 as the first confirmed lunar meteorite, the Shiv Shakti Station landing site and the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, reinforcing India's scientific returns from the mission.

Target Exams

SBI POIBPS POSSC CGLSSC CHSLRRB NTPCUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

Chandrayaan-3 was India's third lunar mission, which in 2023 achieved a soft landing near the Moon's south pole, making India the first country to land there. Its Pragyan rover carried instruments including the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) to study the elemental composition of lunar soil. The landing site was named Shiv Shakti Station. Regolith is the loose, unconsolidated surface material of the Moon. Lunar meteorites are rocks ejected from the Moon by impacts that later fall to Earth; ALHA 81005, found in Antarctica, was the first meteorite confirmed to originate from the Moon.