GSLV MkIII-M1 lifts up Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft successfully 23/07/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags:

CHANDRAYAAN-2 GOES UP SUCCESSFULLY

 

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered: All about Chandrayaan-2 mission, Proposed Chandrayaan-3 mission

 

News Flash

India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV MkIII-M1 successfully launched the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into an earth orbit.

  • The spacecraft is now revolving round the earth with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) and an apogee (farthest point to Earth).
  • GSLV MkIII-M1 vehicle lifted off from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota.
  • After spacecraft separation from the vehicle, the solar array of the spacecraft automatically got deployed.
  • Afterward, ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru successfully took control of the spacecraft.

 

Chandrayaan-2

  • Chandrayaan-2 is India’s second mission to the moon.
  • It comprises a fully indigenous Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan).
  • The Rover Pragyan is housed inside Vikram lander.
  • Chandrayaan-2 to land at a place near moon’s south pole to carry out scientific experiments to explore the unexplored.

 

Mission Objective

The Objective of Chandrayaan-2 is to develop and demonstrate the key technologies for end-to-end lunar mission capability, including soft-landing and roving on the lunar surface.

 

Mission Aim

  • This mission aims to further expand our knowledge about the Moon through a detailed study.
  • Study of its topography, mineralogy, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics, and atmosphere.
  • The study helps in understanding the origin and evolution of the Moon.

 

Highlights

  • The moon is the closest cosmic body at which space discovery can be attempted and documented. But its south polar region has never been explored by any country before.
  • This is the first space mission to conduct a soft landing on the Moon’s south polar region which has a lunar surface area much larger than that of the North Pole and remains in shadow.
  • The GSLV Mk-III which will carry Chandrayaan 2 to its designated orbit is India’s most powerful launcher to date.
  • The mission life of the Orbiter is one year and the metre-long rover has an expected life of 14 Earth days (one lunar day).
  • In order to test the spacecraft’s lander Vikram, ISRO recreated lunar surface at its Lunar Terrain Test Facility in Challakere Science City, Bengaluru.
  • Chandrayaan-2 will have 14 Indian payloads or study devices including scientific ones to study topography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, and surface chemical composition.
  • It will take 43-45 days to travel the 3.84 lakh km from the earth to the moon’s surface.

 

GSLV MkIII

  • GSLV Mk III is a three-stage launch vehicle developed by ISRO.
  • The vehicle has two solid strap-ons, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
  • The vehicle is designed to carry 4 ton class of satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about 10 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

 

Third Moon Trip

 

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated talks on the nation’s third moon trip in partnership with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
  • The another lunar journey in the offing around 2024 to bring soil and rock samples back from the South Pole of the Moon.
  • Chandrayaan-2 is a precursor of Chandrayaan-3, which is scheduled to make a sample return mission in 2023-2024.
  • In the next 4-5 years alone, major space-faring nations are planning to send at least seven missions to the lunar South Pole.

Related information

  • The U.S. was returning to the Moon around 2024 with crewed Artemis flybys and landers.
  • Russia had lined up Luna 25 and 26 to pave the way for a future robotic habitat.
  • China, which recently landed Chang’e-4 on the Moon’s far side that is always turned away from the Earth, has lined up Chang’e-5 late this year or next year. This will bring samples back from the South Pole, and may also send two followons.

 

Source: The Hindu

 

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