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🇮🇳 Indian Astronaut Returns to Space After 41 Years: Shubhanshu Shukla Aboard Axiom-4 Mission to ISS

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In a landmark moment for India's space ambitions, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has blasted off to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission , marking the country's return to human spaceflight after a 41-year hiatus . This historic launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida has not only reignited national pride but also officially kickstarted India’s human spaceflight programme . The mission, operated by Axiom Space , includes a four-member international crew that will spend 14 days in orbit , conducting scientific research, outreach programs, and various commercial activities. This momentous occasion places India among a select group of nations capable of sending humans into space and reflects the growing prowess of the Indian space sector . A New Chapter: Shubhanshu Shukla and India’s Astronautical Comeback The last Indian to go to space was Rakesh Sharma in 1984, aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11. Now, in 2025, Shubhanshu...

How C.V. Raman’s Nobel-Winning Discovery is Helping Hunt for Life on Mars

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How C.V. Raman’s Nobel-Winning Discovery is Helping Hunt for Life on Mars

From Earth to the Red Planet: The Role of Raman Spectroscopy in Space Exploration


Introduction

Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, an Indian physicist, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his groundbreaking discovery of the Raman Effect—a phenomenon that explains how light interacts with molecules, revealing their composition. While this discovery revolutionized optical physics, its impact extends far beyond Earth's laboratories. Today, Raman spectroscopy is playing a crucial role in the search for extraterrestrial life, especially on Mars.

NASA’s Perseverance rover and the upcoming ExoMars mission are using Raman spectrometers to analyze Martian rocks, searching for signs of past or present life. But how does a discovery made almost a century ago help scientists hunt for life on another planet? Let’s dive deep into the fascinating connection.

What is the Raman Effect?

  • Discovered in 1928 by C.V. Raman, this effect describes how light scatters when it interacts with molecules.
  • A small fraction of scattered light changes its wavelength based on the vibrational energy of the molecules, providing a unique chemical fingerprint of the material.
  • This principle became the foundation of Raman Spectroscopy, a non-destructive technique used to identify substances based on their molecular composition.

Why is Raman Spectroscopy Ideal for Mars Exploration?

  • Raman Spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools for space exploration because:
  • It can detect organic molecules that might indicate past or present life.
  • It works without damaging samples, making it ideal for space missions.
  • It can operate in harsh environments like Mars without needing liquid or vacuum conditions.
  • It helps in mineralogical analysis, allowing scientists to study the planet’s history.

How is Raman Spectroscopy Used on Mars?

Two major space missions have used or plan to use Raman Spectroscopy for Mars exploration:

NASA's Perseverance Rover (2021 - Present)

  • The SHERLOC Instrument (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) is mounted on the rover’s robotic arm.
  • SHERLOC uses deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy to detect organic compounds and potential biosignatures in Martian rocks.
  • It helps determine whether Mars had habitable conditions in the past.

ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover (2028 - Future Mission)

  • First rover equipped with a full Raman spectrometer.
  • Unlike Perseverance, it will drill up to 2 meters below the Martian surface to find organic molecules protected from radiation.
  • It aims to analyze hydrated minerals, which could reveal the presence of ancient Martian water.

The Hunt for Life: What Are Scientists Looking For?

Using Raman Spectroscopy, scientists are searching for:

Organic Molecules – These are the building blocks of life, such as amino acids and lipids.
Biosignatures – Chemical or molecular patterns that could suggest microbial life once existed.
Water-related Minerals – Finding water-altered minerals like clays, carbonates, and sulfates indicates Mars once had liquid water.
Geochemical Clues – Understanding the planet’s chemical evolution to predict if life could have survived.

Could Raman Spectroscopy Prove Life Existed on Mars?

  • While no direct proof of extraterrestrial life has been found yet, Raman Spectroscopy has already made significant discoveries.
  • In 2022, Perseverance detected carbon-based molecules in Jezero Crater—an ancient lakebed believed to have held water billions of years ago.
  • If ExoMars confirms biosignatures in subsurface samples, it could be the strongest evidence yet of ancient microbial life on Mars.

The Future of Raman Spectroscopy in Space Exploration

Beyond Mars, Raman Spectroscopy could be used to explore:
Jupiter’s moon Europa – Suspected to have a vast subsurface ocean.
Saturn’s moon Enceladus – Geysers spewing organic material could be analyzed.
Asteroids & Exoplanets – Future missions may use Raman Spectroscopy to study distant worlds.

Conclusion: From Nobel Prize to Space Exploration

C.V. Raman’s discovery, once an academic breakthrough, has become a cornerstone of interplanetary exploration. Today, as scientists scan the Martian surface for traces of life, they owe much of their progress to the pioneering work of this legendary physicist.

From Earth’s labs to the surface of Mars, the Raman Effect continues to shape the future of space science, proving that great discoveries truly have no limits.

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