- By Abhinav Gupta
- Fri, 06 Sep 2019 08:03 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: As the nation awaits with bated breath for the soft-landing of the 'Vikram' lander on the south pole of the lunar surface, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday released details of the Chandrayaan-2, country’s most ambitious Moon mission.
ISRO released graphical details of the mission, which included details of the flight sequence, the GSLV Mk-III which will carry Chandrayaan-2 to its designated orbit, its composite module and the payloads of lander Vikram and rover Pragyan.
It also released “behind the scene” images of Chandrayaan-2, whose final descent will take place on the Lunar South Pole tonight.
ISRO touted Chandrayaan-2 as “an Indian lunar mission that will boldly go where no country has ever gone before -- the Moon’s south polar region.”
“We aim to improve our understanding of the Moon, which could lead to discoveries that will benefit India and humanity as a whole. These insights and experiences will cause a paradigm shift in how lunar expeditions are approached for years to come, propelling further voyages into the farthest frontiers,” the ISRO said.
Here is how ISRO detailed the Moon Mission graphically:
1. Flight sequence of Chandrayaan-2
2. GSLV Mk-III: This three-stage vehicle is India’s most powerful launcher to date, and is capable of launching 4-tonne class of satellites to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
3. Mission Sequence:
4. Chandrayaan-2 composite module: Chandrayaan-2 will be aided in achieving its mission by some of India’s most advanced engineering marvels. Its composite module, comprising technology and software developed across India, includes a wholly indigenous rover and India's 1st lander capable of executing a ‘soft landing’.
5. Orbiter: At the time of launch, Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter will be capable of communicating with Indian Deep Space Network at Byalalu, as well as with Vikram lander.
6. Chandrayaan-2 lander Vikram: Vikram is named after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, the Father of the Indian Space Programme. It is designed to function for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 Earth days.
7. Chandrayaan-2 Rover Pragyan: Pragyan is a 6-wheeled robotic vehicle named Pragyan, which translates to ‘wisdom’ in Sanskrit. It can travel up to 500 m (0.5 km) at a speed of 1 cm per second, & leverages solar energy for its functioning.
8. Mission's Payloads: The mission's payloads consists of Terrain Mapping Camera-2, Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer, Solar X-Ray Monitor, Imaging IR Spectrometer among others.
9. 'Behind The Scene' Images:
A successful landing will make India the fourth country after Russia, the US and China to achieve a soft landing on the moon. But it will be the first to launch a mission to the unexplored lunar south pole.
Joined by about 60-70 high school students from across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present at the ISRO centre in Bengaluru to witness live the space feat, according to officials.
'Vikram' with rover 'Pragyaan' housed inside is scheduled for a powered-descent between 1 am and 2 am on September 7, followed by its touchdown between 1.30 am and 2.30 am. The lander is now in an orbit that would be about 35 km from the lunar surface at its nearest point from where it will begin its final descent.
ISRO Chairman K Sivan said the proposed soft landing on the Moon was going to be a "terrifying" moment as the ISRO has not done it before, where as Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) manoeuvre was successfully carried out during the Chandrayaan-1 mission.