Which of the following Indian Lunar Probes discovered water on the Moon?a)  Cartosat -3b)  Chandrayaan-1c)  Mangalyaand)  Chandrayaan-2

The Indian lunar probe that discovered water on the Moon is b) Chandrayaan-1.

Explanation:

Chandrayaan-1 was India's first mission to the Moon, launched in October 2008. The mission's primary objective was to survey the Moon and gather information about its mineral composition, topography, and exosphere. One of its significant findings was the discovery of water molecules in the lunar soil.

The probe used a high-resolution terrain mapping camera (TMC) and an infrared spectrometer that helped in detecting the presence of water ice in the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar poles. This discovery was groundbreaking as it indicated that the Moon had access to water resources, which could be crucial for future human exploration and habitation.

In contrast, the other missions listed—Cartosat-3 (an Earth observation satellite), Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission), and Chandrayaan-2—did contribute significantly to space exploration but did not discover water on the Moon. Chandrayaan-2, while conducting a detailed study of the lunar surface, focused on the South Pole region but did not specifically confirm new water findings as prominently as its predecessor, Chandrayaan-1.

Thus, Chandrayaan-1 is credited with the discovery of water on the Moon.