ISRO Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission Launch Online Updates: The voyage which will take 54 days to accomplish the task of landing on the Moon through meticulously planned orbital phases
ISRO Chandrayaan-2 Launch Live: DD will broadcast the launch live on its channel.
Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission Launch HIGHLIGHTS Updates: India’s second mission to Moon, Chandrayaan-2 onboard GSLV MKIII was called off due to a technical snag on Monday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.
“A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at T-56 minute. As a measure of abundant precaution, #Chandrayaan2 launch has been called off for today. Revised launch date will be announced later,” the ISRO tweeted. The countdown was held back with 56.24 minutes to go for the launch.
“A new launch date will be announced later,” ISRO added. It was not clear how soon the new launch date could be.
With Chandrayaan-2, India will become the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the moon. Chandrayaan 2 mission is aimed at exploring the south pole of the Moon, which holds maximum promise for the presence of water as well as fossil footprints.
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“Chandrayaan 2 is the next leap in technology as we attempt to soft-land close to South Pole of Moon. The soft landing is extremely complex and we will experience approximately 15 minutes of terror,” ISRO chief K Sivan said.
ISRO’s first successful moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, was launched on October 22, 2008. It was an orbital drone that revolved around the moon and an impactor landed on its lunar surface.
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ISRO Chandrayaan-2, India's much-awaited mission to the Moon was called off 56 minutes prior to launch
Chandrayaan2 mission called off
A technical snag was observed in launch vehicle system at T-56 minute. As a measure of abundant precaution, #Chandrayaan2 launch has been called off for today. Revised launch date will be announced later.
Chandrayaan Lander: Named Vikram after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, Father of the Indian Space Programme. The Vikram Lander has been designed to be able to communicate with the Indian Deep Satellite Network near Bengaluru, as well as with the Orbiter and Rover.
Fueling of hydrogen into the rocket completed
Fueling of hydrogen into the rocket completed.
Filling of Liquid Hydrogen in Cryogenic stage of #GSLVMkIII-M1 completed.#Chandrayaan2#ISRO Stay tuned for more updates..
Chandrayaan-2: What new information will the Mission look for?
Chandrayaan-2 is attempting to go where no spacecraft has gone before — to the south pole of the Moon. Chandrayaan-2 will carry out extensive three-dimensional mapping of the topography of the region, and will also determine its elemental composition and seismic activity.
Simply Put: Milestones of Moon Mission-II
As countdown for Chandrayaan-2, India’s second lunar probe, and its first attempt to make a soft landing on the Moon begins, here are a few things that are likely to be discussed the most in the coming days. The Lander and Rover are scheduled to descend on September 6, more than 50 days after the launch early on Monday (July 15). Most of the other lander missions have taken considerably less time to reach the Moon. read more
Women behind Chandrayaan 2
Chandrayaan 2 which will attempt a first-ever soft landing for India on the lunar surface is being overseen by two space scientists Ritu Karidhal and Muthayya Vanitha. They both will be in charge of the mission’s main components: Project oversight and the crucial final phase of landing. Read more
Some insight into Chandrayaan-2
Filling of liquid hydrogen in cryogenic stage in progress, Chandrayaan-2 inches towards take-off
Filling of liquid oxygen process completed, now fill of liquid hydrogen is in progress.
Filling of Liquid oxygen in cryogenic stage of #GSLVMkIII-M1 completed and filling of Liquid Hydrogen is in progress. #Chandrayaan2#ISRO Updates to continue..
Visitors gather outside space centre as Chandrayaan- 2 will take-off soon
Chandrayaan-2 is all set to take- off in a few hours. Vistors have already gathered outside Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Visitors gather outside Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota where #Chandrayaan2 is scheduled to be launched at 2:51 AM today. pic.twitter.com/ylKwbytxJB
With less than 3-hours for the launch of Chandrayaan-2, you can watch LIVE Streaming of the launch on ISRO's facebook page which will begin at 2:30 am. The live streaming will also be available on the official page of ISRO. The official website of ISRO will also be live streaming the launch of Chandrayaan-2 moon mission. To watch the live launch of Chandrayaan-2 on the official website of the space agency.
Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik presents sand art of Chandrayaan 2
Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik present a sand art of India's mission to the moon, wishes best for to ISRO team
Chnadrayaan 2 mission: Orbital phases of moon landing in 54 days
The voyage which will take 54 days to accomplish the task of landing on the Moon through meticulously planned orbital phases.
(Source: ISRO)
Chandrayaan 2: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle mark- III specifications
A Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit is 35,786 kilometers above Earth’s equator. Satellites meant for weather monitoring, communications and surveillance are placed in this orbit so as to match Earth’s rotation.
(Source: ISRO)
Chandrayaan-2 has 13 payloads, from India, Europe, and US
ISRO, which has planned for the landing around September 6, said the mission aims at going where no other nation has so far dared to go - the Lunar South Pole - and seek to improve understanding of the Moon which could lead to discoveries that will benefit India and humanity as a whole. The Chandrayaan-2 has 13 payloads in total with eight of them in the orbiter, three payloads in Vikram and two in Pragyan. Five payloads are from India, three from Europe, two from the US and one from Bulgaria.
Components of Chandrayaan-2 modules manufactured in Bhubaneswar centre
Important components of the modules of India's ambitious second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, to be launched on Monday, have been manufactured by a Union government-run centre in Bhubaneswar, an official said on Sunday.
The Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC) has manufactured 22 types of valves for fuel injection and other parts for the cryogenic engine of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III rocket, dubbed "fat boy" by Indian scientists for its ability to carry satellites weighing up to 4 tonnes, a top official said.
The Bhubaneswar-based institution had started manufacturing the parts for the country's prestigious lunar mission in March 2017, the centre's Managing Director Sibasis Maity, told PTI in an interview. (PTI)
Specifications of Chandrayaan 2 lander, Vikram
Chandrayaan 2's lander is called Vikram. It is designed to function for one lunar day which is equivalent to about 14 earth days. Here are a few other specifications of Vikram:
(Source: ISRO)
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Payload Fairing
Payload Fairing: The nose-shaped cone used at the top of a spacecraft is called Payload Fairing. It used to protect the spacecraft against the atmospheric pressure and heating.
Chandrayaan 2: Actor Sonakshi Sinha congratulates ISRO
One of India's most important and prestigious space missions, #Chandrayaan2, is led by women, which also happens to be a first for @isro! Proud of our spacewomen.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Cryogenic Stage
Cryogenic Stage: A cryogenic stage/engine is the last stage of space launch vehicle. The engine develops a thrust of 200 kN in a vacuum and is operational for a duration of 640 seconds. It uses a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen as its fuel. Chandrayaan’s C25 engine is powered by CE-20, India’s largest cryogenic engine, designed and developed by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
C25 Cryogenic stage at vehicle assembly building for vehicle integration. (Source: ISRO)
Chandrayaan 2: Actor Akshay Kumar congratulates ISRO
India’s second space mission to the moon, #Chandrayaan2 is led by two women scientists of @isro , a first in India’s history! Sending my best to the rocket women and #ISRO team, more power to you! pic.twitter.com/AX6e8335YK
The Moon is the closest cosmic body on which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising test bed to demonstrate technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan 2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of technology, promote global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists.
Source: ISRO
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Liquid Stage
Liquid Stage: The second stage rocket, also dubbed as L110 liquid stage, is powered by two ‘Vikas’ engines designed and developed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. These engines carry about 110 tonnes of fuel (Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine + Dinitrogen tetroxide). These kinds of engines have been widely used by ISRO during various launches.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: GSLV Mk III
GSLV Mk III: Is a three-stage, heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO. The vehicle has two solid strap-ons or solid rocket boosters, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
Solid Rocket Boosters are large propellant motors that are used to provide additional thrust needed to during the launch process of a spacecraft. The additional thrust is needed to escape the gravitational pull of the Earth. The boosters, once launched, are separated from the external tank of the spacecraft at an altitude of approximately 45 km. They then descend on parachutes and are later refurbished for reuse.
Chandrayaan’s launcher uses two S200 solid rocket boosters to provide the necessary thrust required for lift-off. The S200 was developed at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: LEO
Low Earth Orbit (LEO): A Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is a Geo or Earth-centered orbit is at an altitude of 2,000 km. Most of the satellites are sent in this orbit as it requires the lowest amount of energy and is cost-efficient. The International Space Station is also in LEO.
Chandrayaan2 is the most complex mission ISRO has undertaken so far: Former ISRO chief
Former ISRO Chief, G Madhavan Nair said, Chandrayaan2 is going to be the most complex mission that the space agency has undertaken so far.
Former #ISRO Chief, G Madhavan Nair: #Chandrayaan2 is going to be the most complex mission that ISRO has undertaken so far. Scientifically, it is a follow on mission to confirm data from Chandrayaan-1. It is going to be a big motivator for the young scientific groups. pic.twitter.com/HdwyUNNmu1
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: GTO
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO): A Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit is 35,786 kilometers above Earth’s equator. Satellites meant for weather monitoring, communications and surveillance are placed in this orbit so as to match Earth’s rotation.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Lander
LANDER: Named after Vikram Sarabhai – the pioneer of India’s space programme, the Lander is a module that houses the Rover. After succesful landing on the lunar surface, it will deploy the Rover for conducting further experiments.
It is the first time that the ISRO is attempting to soft-land a module in extra-terrestrial space. Lander Vikram is designed to operate for 14 days (1 complete Lunar day). During this time, the 1,471 kg Lander which is capable of generating about 650 w of electricity will conduct its own experiments and will remain in constant communication with the IDSN.
With Chandrayaan-2, India will become only the fourth country to land a spacecraft on Moon.
Chandrayaan-2 cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Orbiter
The Orbiter and the Lander will be attached to the GSLV MK-III rocket, the launch vehicle that throttles Chandrayaan into space and towards the Moon’s orbit. Once within the moon’s orbit, the lander will detach itself from the 2,379 kg Orbiter in order to make a soft landing on the lunar surface. The Orbiter will continue to orbit around the moon and study its surface. The Orbiter contains a total of 8 instruments including Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2), Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini SAR) and Laser Retroreflector Array amongst others.
According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter will be capable of communicating with Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) at Byalalu (in Karnataka) as well as with the Lander.The mission life of the Orbiter is one year and it will be placed in a 100X100 km lunar polar orbit. Read more
The difference between Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2
Chandrayaan-1 itself marked the beginning of a new age for ISRO. That was the first time that an Indian spacecraft had ventured out of the low-earth orbit, and into outer space. But even as it set out to break new ground, ISRO was a little tentative, and circumspect about the launch of Chandrayaan-1. At that time, it had said its primary objective was just to “place an unmanned spacecraft in an orbit around the moon, to conduct mineralogical and chemical mapping of the lunar surface, and to upgrade the technological base in the country”.
That two instruments onboard Chandrayaan-1 would end up confirming the presence of water on the moon, something that had been speculated for close to 40 years but without ample evidence, was slightly unexpected, especially for those who liked to believe that the best that ISRO could hope for was to get into the also-ran category. It is now undisputed that the confirmation of the presence of water was the turning point in the exploration of the Moon, and triggered a renewed global interest in going back to the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-2 is an advanced version of the previous Chandrayaan-1 mission which had 11 payloads five from India, three from Europe, two from the US and one from Bulgaria. The first mission had the credit for the discovery of water on the lunar surface. The Chandrayaan-2 would be carried by the GSLVMkIII, dubbed ‘Fat Boy’ by Indian scientists for its ability to carry satellites weighing up to 4-tonnes.
Here's a shot of the Pragyan Rover
Here's a shot of the Pragyan Rover before being integrated with the launch vehicle.
The last decade has seen a renewed interest in the moon, especially after the discovery of water on the lunar surface by Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008. But it is only now, 50 years from the first landing on July 20, 1969, that humans have finally decided to go back to the moon. Read more
ISRO explains why India is trying to understand the Moon through Chandrayaan-2
"The Moon is the closest cosmic body at which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising test bed to demonstrate the technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan 2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of technology, promote global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists," ISRO writes.
ISRO had first launched its Moon mission Chandrayaan-1 in 2008.
The Rs 1,000-crore mission consists of an Orbitor, Lander and Rover, all of which are equipped with scientific instruments to study the area on and around the Moon.
The Lander of the Chandrayaan-2 has been named Vikram, after Vikram Sarabhai, the pioneer of India's space programme, while the Rover has been named Pragyaan, meaning wisdom.
The Chandrayaan-2 will be throttled into space by 'Baahubali' - the country’s heaviest and most powerful launcher to date.
The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III is a three-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO. The vehicle has two solid strap-ons, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
The rocket is designed to carry 4 ton class of satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about 10 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Doordarshan (DD) has the official rights to stream the event live on its TV channel, along with commentary and visuals from both the launch pad and ISRO’s mission control room.
Once launched into an earth parking 170 x40400 km orbit, a series of maneuvers will be carried out to raise its orbit and put Chandrayaan-2 on Lunar Transfer Trajectory. “On entering moon’s sphere of influence, on-board thrusters will slow down the spacecraft for Lunar Capture. The Orbit of Chandrayaan-2 around the moon will be circularised to 100×100 km orbit through a series of orbital maneuvers,” ISRO says.
Chandrayaan2 mission called off
Chandrayaan-2 mission put on hold
Guru Prasad, ISRO PRO said, " Wait for sometime for the announcement."
Chandrayaan-2 launch: One hour to go......
ISRO all set to launch India’s second lunar probe
Chandrayaan-2: The Lander Vikram in pictures
Chandrayaan Lander: Named Vikram after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, Father of the Indian Space Programme. The Vikram Lander has been designed to be able to communicate with the Indian Deep Satellite Network near Bengaluru, as well as with the Orbiter and Rover.
Fueling of hydrogen into the rocket completed
Fueling of hydrogen into the rocket completed.
Chandrayaan-2: What new information will the Mission look for?
Chandrayaan-2 is attempting to go where no spacecraft has gone before — to the south pole of the Moon. Chandrayaan-2 will carry out extensive three-dimensional mapping of the topography of the region, and will also determine its elemental composition and seismic activity.
Simply Put: Milestones of Moon Mission-II
As countdown for Chandrayaan-2, India’s second lunar probe, and its first attempt to make a soft landing on the Moon begins, here are a few things that are likely to be discussed the most in the coming days. The Lander and Rover are scheduled to descend on September 6, more than 50 days after the launch early on Monday (July 15). Most of the other lander missions have taken considerably less time to reach the Moon. read more
Women behind Chandrayaan 2
Chandrayaan 2 which will attempt a first-ever soft landing for India on the lunar surface is being overseen by two space scientists Ritu Karidhal and Muthayya Vanitha. They both will be in charge of the mission’s main components: Project oversight and the crucial final phase of landing. Read more
Some insight into Chandrayaan-2
Filling of liquid hydrogen in cryogenic stage in progress, Chandrayaan-2 inches towards take-off
Filling of liquid oxygen process completed, now fill of liquid hydrogen is in progress.
Visitors gather outside space centre as Chandrayaan- 2 will take-off soon
Chandrayaan-2 is all set to take- off in a few hours. Vistors have already gathered outside Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Filling of liquid oxygen in the cryogenic stage has begun
Filling of liquid qxygen in the cryogenic stage of GSLVMKIII-M1 commenced.
Where to watch LIVE streaming of Chandrayaan-2
With less than 3-hours for the launch of Chandrayaan-2, you can watch LIVE Streaming of the launch on ISRO's facebook page which will begin at 2:30 am. The live streaming will also be available on the official page of ISRO. The official website of ISRO will also be live streaming the launch of Chandrayaan-2 moon mission. To watch the live launch of Chandrayaan-2 on the official website of the space agency.
Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik presents sand art of Chandrayaan 2
Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik present a sand art of India's mission to the moon, wishes best for to ISRO team
Chandrayaan 2: President Kovind to witness launch event
Chandrayaan 2: Less than 5 hours from take off
Chnadrayaan 2 mission: Orbital phases of moon landing in 54 days
The voyage which will take 54 days to accomplish the task of landing on the Moon through meticulously planned orbital phases.
Chandrayaan 2: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle mark- III specifications
A Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit is 35,786 kilometers above Earth’s equator. Satellites meant for weather monitoring, communications and surveillance are placed in this orbit so as to match Earth’s rotation.
Chandrayaan-2 has 13 payloads, from India, Europe, and US
ISRO, which has planned for the landing around September 6, said the mission aims at going where no other nation has so far dared to go - the Lunar South Pole - and seek to improve understanding of the Moon which could lead to discoveries that will benefit India and humanity as a whole. The Chandrayaan-2 has 13 payloads in total with eight of them in the orbiter, three payloads in Vikram and two in Pragyan. Five payloads are from India, three from Europe, two from the US and one from Bulgaria.
Components of Chandrayaan-2 modules manufactured in Bhubaneswar centre
Important components of the modules of India's ambitious second lunar mission, Chandrayaan-2, to be launched on Monday, have been manufactured by a Union government-run centre in Bhubaneswar, an official said on Sunday.
The Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC) has manufactured 22 types of valves for fuel injection and other parts for the cryogenic engine of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III rocket, dubbed "fat boy" by Indian scientists for its ability to carry satellites weighing up to 4 tonnes, a top official said.
The Bhubaneswar-based institution had started manufacturing the parts for the country's prestigious lunar mission in March 2017, the centre's Managing Director Sibasis Maity, told PTI in an interview. (PTI)
Specifications of Chandrayaan 2 lander, Vikram
Chandrayaan 2's lander is called Vikram. It is designed to function for one lunar day which is equivalent to about 14 earth days. Here are a few other specifications of Vikram:
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Payload Fairing
Payload Fairing: The nose-shaped cone used at the top of a spacecraft is called Payload Fairing. It used to protect the spacecraft against the atmospheric pressure and heating.
Chandrayaan 2: Actor Sonakshi Sinha congratulates ISRO
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Cryogenic Stage
Cryogenic Stage: A cryogenic stage/engine is the last stage of space launch vehicle. The engine develops a thrust of 200 kN in a vacuum and is operational for a duration of 640 seconds. It uses a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen as its fuel. Chandrayaan’s C25 engine is powered by CE-20, India’s largest cryogenic engine, designed and developed by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
Chandrayaan 2: Actor Akshay Kumar congratulates ISRO
Why are we going to the moon?
The Moon is the closest cosmic body on which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising test bed to demonstrate technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan 2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of technology, promote global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Liquid Stage
Liquid Stage: The second stage rocket, also dubbed as L110 liquid stage, is powered by two ‘Vikas’ engines designed and developed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. These engines carry about 110 tonnes of fuel (Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine + Dinitrogen tetroxide). These kinds of engines have been widely used by ISRO during various launches.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: GSLV Mk III
GSLV Mk III: Is a three-stage, heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO. The vehicle has two solid strap-ons or solid rocket boosters, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
Solid Rocket Boosters are large propellant motors that are used to provide additional thrust needed to during the launch process of a spacecraft. The additional thrust is needed to escape the gravitational pull of the Earth. The boosters, once launched, are separated from the external tank of the spacecraft at an altitude of approximately 45 km. They then descend on parachutes and are later refurbished for reuse.
Chandrayaan’s launcher uses two S200 solid rocket boosters to provide the necessary thrust required for lift-off. The S200 was developed at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: LEO
Low Earth Orbit (LEO): A Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is a Geo or Earth-centered orbit is at an altitude of 2,000 km. Most of the satellites are sent in this orbit as it requires the lowest amount of energy and is cost-efficient. The International Space Station is also in LEO.
Chandrayaan2 is the most complex mission ISRO has undertaken so far: Former ISRO chief
Former ISRO Chief, G Madhavan Nair said, Chandrayaan2 is going to be the most complex mission that the space agency has undertaken so far.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: GTO
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO): A Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit is 35,786 kilometers above Earth’s equator. Satellites meant for weather monitoring, communications and surveillance are placed in this orbit so as to match Earth’s rotation.
Cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Lander
LANDER: Named after Vikram Sarabhai – the pioneer of India’s space programme, the Lander is a module that houses the Rover. After succesful landing on the lunar surface, it will deploy the Rover for conducting further experiments.
It is the first time that the ISRO is attempting to soft-land a module in extra-terrestrial space. Lander Vikram is designed to operate for 14 days (1 complete Lunar day). During this time, the 1,471 kg Lander which is capable of generating about 650 w of electricity will conduct its own experiments and will remain in constant communication with the IDSN.
With Chandrayaan-2, India will become only the fourth country to land a spacecraft on Moon.
Chandrayaan-2 cheat sheet to all the space jargon you may encounter: Orbiter
The Orbiter and the Lander will be attached to the GSLV MK-III rocket, the launch vehicle that throttles Chandrayaan into space and towards the Moon’s orbit. Once within the moon’s orbit, the lander will detach itself from the 2,379 kg Orbiter in order to make a soft landing on the lunar surface. The Orbiter will continue to orbit around the moon and study its surface. The Orbiter contains a total of 8 instruments including Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2), Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini SAR) and Laser Retroreflector Array amongst others.
According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter will be capable of communicating with Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) at Byalalu (in Karnataka) as well as with the Lander.The mission life of the Orbiter is one year and it will be placed in a 100X100 km lunar polar orbit. Read more
The difference between Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2
Chandrayaan-1 itself marked the beginning of a new age for ISRO. That was the first time that an Indian spacecraft had ventured out of the low-earth orbit, and into outer space. But even as it set out to break new ground, ISRO was a little tentative, and circumspect about the launch of Chandrayaan-1. At that time, it had said its primary objective was just to “place an unmanned spacecraft in an orbit around the moon, to conduct mineralogical and chemical mapping of the lunar surface, and to upgrade the technological base in the country”.
That two instruments onboard Chandrayaan-1 would end up confirming the presence of water on the moon, something that had been speculated for close to 40 years but without ample evidence, was slightly unexpected, especially for those who liked to believe that the best that ISRO could hope for was to get into the also-ran category. It is now undisputed that the confirmation of the presence of water was the turning point in the exploration of the Moon, and triggered a renewed global interest in going back to the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-2 is an advanced version of the previous Chandrayaan-1 mission which had 11 payloads five from India, three from Europe, two from the US and one from Bulgaria. The first mission had the credit for the discovery of water on the lunar surface. The Chandrayaan-2 would be carried by the GSLVMkIII, dubbed ‘Fat Boy’ by Indian scientists for its ability to carry satellites weighing up to 4-tonnes.
Here's a shot of the Pragyan Rover
Here's a shot of the Pragyan Rover before being integrated with the launch vehicle.
UH25 (fuel) filling of liquid core stage (L110) of GSLV MkIII-M1 completed
UH25 (fuel) filling of liquid core stage (L110) of GSLV MkIII-M1 completed
Some insight into the much-awaited Chandrayaan-2
Here's some insight into the Chandrayaan-2 mission and its components.
Countdown for Chandrayaan-2 begins in Sriharikota
Countdown for Chandrayaan-2 begins in Sriharikota
Click here for more pictures
Why the world’s in a second race to the moon
The last decade has seen a renewed interest in the moon, especially after the discovery of water on the lunar surface by Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008. But it is only now, 50 years from the first landing on July 20, 1969, that humans have finally decided to go back to the moon. Read more
ISRO explains why India is trying to understand the Moon through Chandrayaan-2
"The Moon is the closest cosmic body at which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising test bed to demonstrate the technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan 2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of technology, promote global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists," ISRO writes.