Moon Impact Probe

Indian space probe

Also known as: MIP

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Last updated

July 21, 2026

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The Moon Impact Probe (MIP) was a small craft launched by India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar space probe in 2008. Its primary purpose was to test systems for future lunar landings and study the Moon's thin atmosphere before impacting the surface near the south pole.1

During its brief mission, the MIP detected small amounts of water in the Moon's atmosphere. This discovery contributed to the broader understanding of lunar water, with Chandrayaan-1 ultimately finding water molecules mixed with lunar soil, particularly concentrated at the poles. The MIP's impact and subsequent data collection were part of India's ambitious Chandrayaan program, which aims to explore the Moon.12

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Mylswamy Annadurai
…and on November 14 the Moon Impact Probe, which contained three instruments, was released; it hit near the lunar South Pole. Contact with the probe was abruptly lost on August 28, 2009, and three days later ISRO officially declared the project terminated.
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…and on November 14 the Moon Impact Probe, which contained three instruments, was released; it hit near the lunar South Pole. Contact with the probe was abruptly lost on August 28, 2009, and three days later ISRO officially declared the project terminated.
Read More

Chandrayaan
…launched a small craft, the Moon Impact Probe (MIP), that was designed to test systems for future landings and study the thin lunar atmosphere before crashing on the Moon’s surface. MIP impacted near the south pole, but, before it crashed, it discovered small amounts of water in the Moon’s atmosphere.
Read More
…launched a small craft, the Moon Impact Probe (MIP), that was designed to test systems for future landings and study the thin lunar atmosphere before crashing on the Moon’s surface. MIP impacted near the south pole, but, before it crashed, it discovered small amounts of water in the Moon’s atmosphere.
Read More