India's Chandrayaan Blasts Off To The Moon!

On way to the Moon finally! So far it's been a text book launch. Hopefully Chandrayaan will slip into Moon orbit as planned in the next two weeks.

The Satellite

Chandrayaan-1, a 1.5 m cube weighing 1380 kg, is India’s first unmanned mission to the Moon. It will spend two years performing various experiments including high resolution mapping of the lunar surface in visible light, near infrared, low energy and high energy X-rays.

In addition, the spacecraft will also evaluate the Moon’s mineral resources and the distribution of elements such as silicon, iron and titanium.

Chandrayaan-1 has a scientific package containing 12 instruments - two NASA, three European and seven Indian. This includes a 30 kg Moon Impact Probe (MIP) which will be released from orbit to penetrate the lunar surface.

NASA is providing the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) and the Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (MiniSAR), which will be able to detect water ice up to a depth of several metres.


Moon Impact Probe integration with Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft
Courtesy: ISRO

Fully Assembled First Stage surrounded by strap-ons of the PSLV-C11


PSLV-C11 on its way to the launch pad


Another view of the PSLV-C11on its way to the launch pad from the Vehicle Assembly Building

Here’s an excellent brief of India’s Moon Program. Target: 2020 for the first Indian on the Moon!

YouTube Link

In case you can't get to that vid, here's the link..

in.youtube.com...



www.isro.gov.in...
www.isro.gov.in...




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