ISRO PLANS CHANDRAYAAN-2 LAUNCH IN APRIL

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) was planning to launch Chandrayaan-2, Mission in April. It was the country’s second mission to the moon and was a challenging task for Isro as it would carry an orbiter, a lander and a rover to the moon for the first time.

Isro scientists claimed the launch would place India on a new height in space technology. The total cost of the mission would be about `800 crore. Isro officials said that the window for the launch was open till October this year if the launch could not take place in April due to unsuitable weather.

According to scientists of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Chandrayaan-2, was a totally indigenous mission and would be launched in the designated orbit by GSLV-F10 rocket. After reaching the 100-km lunar orbit, the lander housing the rover would separate from the orbiter. After a controlled descent, the lander would soft land on the lunar surface at a specified site and deploy a rover.

The six-wheeled rover would move around the landing site in semi-autonomous mode as decided by the ground commands. Instruments on the rover would observe the lunar surface and send back data, which would be useful for analysis of lunar soil.

Chandrayaan-2,, would weigh around 3,290 kg and orbit round the moon and perform the objectives of remote sensing the moon. The payloads would collect scientific information on lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, lunar exosphere and signatures of hydroxyl and ice.

■ The total cost of the mission would be about `800 crore. Isro officials said that the window for the launch was open till October this year if the launch could not take place in April due to unsuitable weather.