India's Moon rover confirms sulfur, detects several other elements near lunar south pole

India’s moon rover confirmed the presence of sulfur and detected several other elements near the lunar south pole as it searches for signs of frozen water nearly a week after its historic moon landing, India’s space agency said on Tuesday.

The rover's laser-induced spectroscope instrument also detected aluminum, iron, calcium, chromium, titanium, manganese, oxygen and silicon on the lunar surface, the Indian Space Research Organisation, or Isro, said in a post on its website.

The lunar rover had come down a ramp from the lander of India’s spacecraft after last Wednesday’s touch-down near the moon’s south pole. The Chandrayan-3 Rover is expected to conduct experiments over 14 days, the Isro has said.

The rover "unambiguously confirms the presence of sulfur,” Isro said. It also is searching for signs of frozen water that could help future astronaut missions, as a potential source of drinking water or to make rocket fuel.

The rover also will study the moon's atmosphere and seismic activity, Isro chairman S. Somnath said.

On Monday, the rover's route was reprogrammed when it came close to a 4-metre-wide crater. "It’s now safely heading on a new path," the Isro said.

Active since the 1960s, India has launched satellites for itself and other countries, and successfully put one in orbit around Mars in 2014. India is planning its first mission to the International Space Station next year, in collaboration with the United States.