Category Man and the Moon

          The launch of Chandrayaan 2 was initially scheduled for 14 July, 2019. But, it was postponed due to a technical error. After the long wait, Chandrayaan 2 was launched on its course to the Moon on 22 July, 2019, a decade after the launch of Chandrayaan 1. Planned for duration of seven years, the mission was launched at 2:43 PM by GSLVMk III from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

          On 20 August, 2019, Chandrayaan 2 reached the orbit of the Moon and began its efforts to land the Vikram lander. Both Vikram and the rover were scheduled to land in the South Polar Region. But things did not quite go as planned. The Vikram lander slightly deviated from its intended path and the communication with it was lost for a while. K Sivan, 1SRO chairman later confirmed the location of the lander.

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          Chandrayaan 2 was a highly complex mission. It aimed to explore the lunar exosphere, lunar surface and the sub-surface in a single mission with special focus on the lunar South Pole. Also, it was the first mission that aimed at soft landing on the lunar South Pole.

          The lunar South Pole remains in shadows for much longer time than the lunar North Pole. Therefore, there is a possibility of presence of water in these permanently shadowed areas. Chandrayaan 2 contained India’s first lunar rover made out of home-grown technology. Though Chandrayaan 2 was faced with many challenges, it succeeded in proving India’s technological advancement.

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          Chandrayaan 1 was definitely an encouragement for future endeavours in space studies. Chandrayaan 2 is it’s more technologically and scientifically advanced follow up.

          When Indian scientists conceived the idea of a second lunar mission, they wanted to demonstrate its ability to soft-land on the surface of the Moon and operate a lunar rover. They were also looking for an extensive mapping of the lunar surface to prepare detailed 3D maps. It also aimed at a broad study of the lunar South Pole with focus on the thickness of the lunar regolith, and evidences of water ice. The mission also planned to study the variations in the lunar surface composition.

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          We now know a lot about Chandrayaan 1. But when did the Indian scientists conceive the idea of a lunar mission? Let’s now dig up a little history.

          It all began in 1999 in a meeting at the Indian Academy of Sciences-that’s where they discussed the first Indian scientific mission to the Moon. This discussion was taken forward by the Astronautical Society of India (ASI). It was followed by the setting up of the National Lunar Mission Task Force by the ISRO in 2000. By 2003, over hundred eminent Indian scientists from different fields including Earth sciences, planetary sciences, physics, chemistry, astronomy, astrophysics, engineering, and communication sciences confirmed that our country was capable of conducting such a mission.

          Following this, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then prime minister of India announced the Chandrayaan 1 project during his Independence Day speech the same year. Government approval for the same was gained three months later in November. From then on, hundreds of Indian scientists devoted their time and brains to make this dream a reality.

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          Chandrayaan 1 lifted Indian space research to a global platform. India exhibited its self-sufficiency in space technology through the Chandrayaan 1 project. India’s efforts certainly gained global recognition.

          The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) recognized ISRO’s contribution to space science and technology with the AIAA SPACE 2009 award.

          Chandrayaan 1 was bestowed with the International Co-operation Award in 2008 by the International Lunar Exploration Working Group. It was the recognition for accommodating the most number of international tests and lunar payloads. In 2009,    Chandrayaan 1 was also awarded the Space Pioneer Award by the US based National Space Society.

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          For decades, scientists have been searching for the evidences of the presence of water on the lunar surface. On its landing on the Moon, Chandrayaan 1 confirmed the presence of water on the Moon.

          The Moon Impact Probe on Chandrayaan 1 had discovered traces of water ice on the lunar surface. The Moon Mineralogy Mapper, another instrument in Chandrayaan 1’s payload detected absorption features on the lunar surface. This feature was more prominent in cooler high latitudes. The lunar scientists confirmed that the water on the Moon was scattered throughout its surface in sheets of ice and some water was locked up in minerals.

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