The Chandrayaan-2 mission will be launched at 2:43 pm on Monday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Here's the full report on what significance does the mssion hold for India. Watch full video to know more. #Chandrayaan-2Launch

Chandrayaan 2 to take off from Sriharikota at 2:43 PM on 22nd July

Watch: Animated video showing take off of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle and separation of Chandrayaan 2. Watch full video to know more.#Chandrayaan-2Launch

India prepares to land rover on moon

WION speaks to Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield ahead of India's 2nd Moon Mission. Listen in, Watch full video to know more. #Chandrayaan-2Launch

WION speaks to Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield ahead of Chandrayaan-2 launch

The 20-hour countdown for the launch of the Chandrayaan-2 began at 6.43 PM on Sunday.The country's ambitious lunar mission is scheduled to be launched at 2:43 PM on Monday.#Chandrayaan-2Launch

Chandrayaan 2: Twenty-hour countdown on for ISRO's landmark Lunar mission, launch at 2:43 PM today

The 20-hour countdown for the launch of the Chandrayaan-2 began at 6.43 PM on Sunday.The country's ambitious lunar mission is scheduled to be launched at 2:43 PM on Monday.

Countdown for Chandrayaan-2 underway, launch at 2:43 PM on Monday

Cricketing legends, including Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir on Monday, congratulated ISRO on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-moon-mission-chandrayaan-2-successfully-launched-as-india-takes-a-giant-leap-237666">successful launch of India's indigenous moon mission</a>, Chandrayaan-2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

Former India destructive batsman Sehwag in a tweet praised the team of Chandrayaan-2, saying, "Many congratulations to Team #Chandrayaan2 @isro for the successful and seamless launch!"

Gambhir, the East Delhi MP and former India cricketer, said that the successful launch of Chandrayaan-2 will motivate the next generation to help India's space exploration programme.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cantwaittoseewhatyoudonext-us-congratulates-isro-on-chandrayaan-2-launch-237673">US congratulates ISRO on Chandrayaan-2 launch</a>

"I always looked up at the moon as a child, wondering what secrets it's hiding. The successful launch of #Chandrayaan2 will shed some light on these secrets, &amp; motivate the next gen to help India's space exploration programme. I congratulate everyone at @ISRO for this success," Gambhir said.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli took to Twitter and wrote, "Another historic and proud moment for the nation as the #Chandrayaan 2 is launched Jai Hind #ISRO #IndiaMoonMission."

Dhawan, who was part of the Indian World Cup team, said it is a historic moment for India and congratulated ISRO team for the successful launch of Chandrayaan2.

"Indeed a historic moment for India. Congratulations to all the members of @isro for successfully launching #Chandrayaan2," Dhawan tweeted.

Mohammad Kaif, the former India cricketer, said that it is a proud moment for the nation."What a beautiful sight. Proud moment for the nation on the launch of #Chandrayaan2 @isro," Kaif said.

Former India cricketer VVS Laxman congratulated ISRO and termed the launch as exemplary."Exemplary! Many congratulations to @isro on the successful launch of #Chandrayaan2," Laxman tweeted.

India batsman Suresh Raina in a tweet called the move is historic."This is HISTORIC! Propelling a billion dreams into the sky. What a proud moment for #Chandrayaan2," Raina said.

Watch: India's moon mission lifts off, hopes to probe lunar south pole

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Former Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Rajiv Shukla said the most powerful rocket is carrying India's dream to the moon.

"Billions of eyes will gaze at the sky and hearts beat in prayers, as #Chandrayan2 takes off from Sriharikota in few minutes. The most powerful rocket will carry the Indian dream to Moon for the second time. Best of Luck @isro. Wish you great success for this mission," Shukla said.

Indian Football Team replied to ISRO's tweet with the emojis and praised the launch.

The spacecraft took off at 2.43 pm, exactly a week after the mission was aborted after a technical snag was detected less than an hour before the launch.

Cricketing legends, including Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir on Monday, congratulated ISRO on the successful launch of India's indigenous moon mission, Chandrayaan-2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

Cricketing legends, including Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir on Monday, congratulated ISRO on the successful launch of India's indigenous moon mission, Chandrayaan-2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. Former India destructive batsman Sehwag in a tweet praised the team of Chandrayaan-2, saying, "Many congratulations to Team #Chandrayaan2 @isro for the successful and seamless launch!" Gambhir, the East Delhi MP and former India cricketer, said that the successful launch of Chandrayaan-2 will motivate the next generation to help India's space exploration programme. Also Read: US congratulates ISRO on Chandrayaan-2 launch "I always looked up at the moon as a child, wondering what secrets it's hiding. The successful launch of #Chandrayaan2 will shed some light on these secrets, & motivate the next gen to help India's space exploration programme. I congratulate everyone at @ISRO for this success," Gambhir said. Indian skipper Virat Kohli took to Twitter and wrote, "Another historic and proud moment for the nation as the #Chandrayaan 2 is launched Jai Hind #ISRO #IndiaMoonMission." Dhawan, who was part of the Indian World Cup team, said it is a historic moment for India and congratulated ISRO team for the successful launch of Chandrayaan2. "Indeed a historic moment for India. Congratulations to all the members of @isro for successfully launching #Chandrayaan2," Dhawan tweeted. Mohammad Kaif, the former India cricketer, said that it is a proud moment for the nation."What a beautiful sight. Proud moment for the nation on the launch of #Chandrayaan2 @isro," Kaif said. Former India cricketer VVS Laxman congratulated ISRO and termed the launch as exemplary."Exemplary! Many congratulations to @isro on the successful launch of #Chandrayaan2," Laxman tweeted. India batsman Suresh Raina in a tweet called the move is historic."This is HISTORIC! Propelling a billion dreams into the sky. What a proud moment for #Chandrayaan2," Raina said. Watch: India's moon mission lifts off, hopes to probe lunar south pole × Former Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Rajiv Shukla said the most powerful rocket is carrying India's dream to the moon. "Billions of eyes will gaze at the sky and hearts beat in prayers, as #Chandrayan2 takes off from Sriharikota in few minutes. The most powerful rocket will carry the Indian dream to Moon for the second time. Best of Luck @isro. Wish you great success for this mission," Shukla said. Indian Football Team replied to ISRO's tweet with the emojis and praised the launch. The spacecraft took off at 2.43 pm, exactly a week after the mission was aborted after a technical snag was detected less than an hour before the launch.

Cricketers congratulate ISRO on launch of Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-2 is India's second lunar exploration mission after Chandrayaan-1 is all set to be launched at 2:43 PM today. Watch full video to know more.#Chandrayaan-2Launch

Chandrayaan-2: How crucial will this mission be for India?

India's second mission to the Moon is scheduled to lift off aboard a GSLV Mark-III rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.43 pm today. watch full video to know more.#Chandrayaan-2Launch

Less than 30 minutes to go for India's 2nd Moon mission launch

WION speaks to Missile Defense expert Dr. Uzi Rubin ahead of India's 2nd Moon Mission. Listen in, Watch full video to know more. #Chandrayaan-2Launch

WION speaks to Missile Defense expert Dr. Uzi Rubin ahead of Chandrayaan-2 launch

The 20-hour countdown began on Sunday morning for the launch of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chandrayaan-2-costs-less-than-hollywood-blockbuster-avengers-endgame-235643">Chandrayaan-2</a>, India's Moon mission to the unexplored south polar region of Earth's natural satellite.

The country's second lunar spacecraft will be launched onboard a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-III from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh at 2:51 am on Monday.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the countdown started at 6.51 am today.

Chandrayaan-2, which has home-grown technology, will explore a region of Moon where no mission has ever set foot.

According to ISRO Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan, the landing site, at a latitude of about 70 degrees south, is the southernmost for any mission till date.

Live: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-chandrayaan-2-indias-second-lunar-exploration-mission-235637">Chandrayaan-2 — India's second lunar exploration mission</a>

The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover together referred to as "composite body". The probe's total mass is 3.8 ton and it is expected to land on Moon's south polar region on September 6 or 7 this year.

It will be the first Indian expedition to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface. This mission will make India the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to carry out a soft landing on Moon.

Ahead of the launch, Sivan visited Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala on Saturday.

After visiting the shrine, he told the media, "On Monday early morning, we are going to launch the most important and prestigious mission, Chandrayaan-2. A GSLV Mark-III vehicle is going to be used for the mission. After a successful launch, it will take nearly two months to land on the South Pole of Moon."

He said, "In future, the nation will depend more on planetary missions. After the country's first Moon mission Chandrayaan 1, which was launched in October 2008, we are now entering into Chandrayaan-2 mission."

Mylswamy Annadurai, Project Director of Chandrayaan-1, told ANI, "The data showed evidence for water in the exosphere of Moon, on the surface of Moon and also sub-surface and it triggered back to the Moon slogan. The South Pole is more of a resourceful place in case a man has to land in future."

On the significance of the expedition, he said, "From a scientific point of view, there are also craters which have gone very deep into Moon and that will tell about possible origin and evolution of the solar system."

On Thursday, ISRO had conducted checks on the GSLV rocket at the launch pad in Sriharikota.

The 20-hour countdown began on Sunday morning for the launch of Chandrayaan-2, India's Moon mission to the unexplored south polar region of Earth's natural satellite.

The 20-hour countdown began on Sunday morning for the launch of Chandrayaan-2, India's Moon mission to the unexplored south polar region of Earth's natural satellite. The country's second lunar spacecraft will be launched onboard a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-III from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh at 2:51 am on Monday. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the countdown started at 6.51 am today. Chandrayaan-2, which has home-grown technology, will explore a region of Moon where no mission has ever set foot. According to ISRO Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan, the landing site, at a latitude of about 70 degrees south, is the southernmost for any mission till date. Live: Chandrayaan-2 — India's second lunar exploration mission The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover together referred to as "composite body". The probe's total mass is 3.8 ton and it is expected to land on Moon's south polar region on September 6 or 7 this year. It will be the first Indian expedition to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface. This mission will make India the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to carry out a soft landing on Moon. Ahead of the launch, Sivan visited Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala on Saturday. After visiting the shrine, he told the media, "On Monday early morning, we are going to launch the most important and prestigious mission, Chandrayaan-2. A GSLV Mark-III vehicle is going to be used for the mission. After a successful launch, it will take nearly two months to land on the South Pole of Moon." He said, "In future, the nation will depend more on planetary missions. After the country's first Moon mission Chandrayaan 1, which was launched in October 2008, we are now entering into Chandrayaan-2 mission." Mylswamy Annadurai, Project Director of Chandrayaan-1, told ANI, "The data showed evidence for water in the exosphere of Moon, on the surface of Moon and also sub-surface and it triggered back to the Moon slogan. The South Pole is more of a resourceful place in case a man has to land in future." On the significance of the expedition, he said, "From a scientific point of view, there are also craters which have gone very deep into Moon and that will tell about possible origin and evolution of the solar system." On Thursday, ISRO had conducted checks on the GSLV rocket at the launch pad in Sriharikota.

Countdown begins for launch of Chandrayaan-II tomorrow

With barely a week for the July 15 launch of India’s second Moon Mission (Chandrayaan- 2) WION had an Exclusive conversation with Dr Mylswamy Annadurai who is currently serving as Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology

WION: Chandrayaan 1 was launched almost 40 years after the Apollo 11 mission, what was our major finding and breakthrough?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: In 2008 we were considered as also-rans, as about 69 missions had gone to the moon by then. But all the missions that went to the moon prior to Chandrayaan 1 declared that the moon’s surface was barren. While some missions found traces of hydrogen, it was not in the H20 form of water, thus the evidence was not conclusive. However, it was India’s Lunar Mission, which in its maiden attempt showed evidence for water in the exosphere of the moon, on the surface and sub-surface of the moon. The discovery of water is what re-started the race for Lunar Exploration.

WION: What has changed between ISRO’s first Lunar mission and Chandrayaan 2?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;Chandrayaan 2 is meant to consolidate the findings of Chandrayaan 1 and we are also landing at the South Pole of the Moon, which is an unexplored region. While the PSLV rocket was used for the previous mission, we will be using India’s most powerful rocket the GSLV Mk III for this mission. This time, in addition to landing on the moon and the orbiter studying the moon from an altitude, a rover also will be deployed to study the moon’s surface for about 14 days(1 moon day noon). Although we are using a more powerful rocket this time, what remains the same as Chandrayaan 1, will be the orbit-raising manoeuvres to get closer to the moon and inject into lunar orbit.

WION: Despite having had a slow and humble beginning in the 1960s, how did we master various crucial technologies and keep innovating?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;At the initial stages, various foreign agencies provided us basic support and training, but when the seed called ISRO sprouted, they abandoned it. We were denied high-end technology and were pushed to the wall, so in order to succeed, we had to indigenously develop all the major, sophisticated technologies indigenously to ensure the success of our Indian Space Programme.

WION: ISRO is globally reputed for frugal engineering in all missions, how do we achieve more with less?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;It all lies in our grooming, upbringing and mentality. If one were to be educated in America and trained at NASA, his/her projects would use abundant resources, but here we try to attain the same by using the least amount of resources. We are all from very humble backgrounds, so we think big with our limited resources. It is just like giving the same assignment to a Government school student and an International School student, both will accomplish it. But the method is what makes all the difference. The classic case is that Western agencies have powerful rockets that can directly reach the moon and other planets, whereas we use our PSLV and GSLV (less powerful in comparison to Western rockets) to attain similar objectives. We use a technique called orbit-raising manoeuvre to slingshot the satellite into the desired orbit/planet. This is what cuts down the cost drastically.

WION: What are the major areas that ISRO must focus on in the coming years?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;We must consolidate on our strengths of using space for societal applications such as agriculture, communication, earth observation, resource mapping, navigation etc. Given that we have been fabricating world-class satellites, with further Government permissions, we should be able to commercialize and build satellites for foreign customers. As there are very few players in launching satellites that weight below 1.5 tons, we could focus on that market segment as well.

WION: How can collaboration with private firms and academia enhance ISRO’s capabilities?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;Already a couple of satellites are made by the industry collaborators, when satellite-fabrication was opened up for private players there was heavy competition. When more launch-related processes are outsourced to industry, ISRO can focus on the core research and development areas. When more private players and academia offer support, we can achieve more in less time. Ideally, we would require that military-industry-academia collaboration /nexus that drove the science and technology sector in America during the 1960s.

WION: As advances in rocket technology furthers the reach, does the moon play a more significant role?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;Currently the International Space Station(ISS) is our outpost in Space. But as the ISS is nearing the end of its operational life, we may need a new stopover for exploring deep space. It would be more prudent to develop infrastructure on the moon rather than develop another Space Station. The moon could be used as an outpost on a journey to Mars. We could also explore options for installing telescopes on the moon. Such a Lunar Space Station should also involve the active participation of countries like India, as we are not a part of the few countries that control the ISS. Commercial players also will get encouraged if space tourism leads to the moon.

WION: Foreign Media has tried to belittle our progress when India succeeds in ambitious missions. How do you react to them as a veteran Indian Scientist?

Dr Mylswamy Annadurai:&nbsp;As Swami Vivekananda says, any great thing you do, first others will neglect us, then they will laugh at us, oppose us and eventually they will recognize us. Either way, Indian scientists are motivated to work for the progress of our country.

With barely a week for the July 15 launch of India’s second Moon Mission (Chandrayaan- 2) WION had an Exclusive conversation with Dr Mylswamy Annadurai who is currently serving as Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology WION: Chandrayaan 1 was launched almost 40 years after the Apollo 11 mission, what was our major finding and breakthrough?

With barely a week for the July 15 launch of India’s second Moon Mission (Chandrayaan- 2) WION had an Exclusive conversation with Dr Mylswamy Annadurai who is currently serving as Vice President, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology WION: Chandrayaan 1 was launched almost 40 years after the Apollo 11 mission, what was our major finding and breakthrough? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: In 2008 we were considered as also-rans, as about 69 missions had gone to the moon by then. But all the missions that went to the moon prior to Chandrayaan 1 declared that the moon’s surface was barren. While some missions found traces of hydrogen, it was not in the H20 form of water, thus the evidence was not conclusive. However, it was India’s Lunar Mission, which in its maiden attempt showed evidence for water in the exosphere of the moon, on the surface and sub-surface of the moon. The discovery of water is what re-started the race for Lunar Exploration. WION: What has changed between ISRO’s first Lunar mission and Chandrayaan 2? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: Chandrayaan 2 is meant to consolidate the findings of Chandrayaan 1 and we are also landing at the South Pole of the Moon, which is an unexplored region. While the PSLV rocket was used for the previous mission, we will be using India’s most powerful rocket the GSLV Mk III for this mission. This time, in addition to landing on the moon and the orbiter studying the moon from an altitude, a rover also will be deployed to study the moon’s surface for about 14 days(1 moon day noon). Although we are using a more powerful rocket this time, what remains the same as Chandrayaan 1, will be the orbit-raising manoeuvres to get closer to the moon and inject into lunar orbit. WION: Despite having had a slow and humble beginning in the 1960s, how did we master various crucial technologies and keep innovating? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: At the initial stages, various foreign agencies provided us basic support and training, but when the seed called ISRO sprouted, they abandoned it. We were denied high-end technology and were pushed to the wall, so in order to succeed, we had to indigenously develop all the major, sophisticated technologies indigenously to ensure the success of our Indian Space Programme. WION: ISRO is globally reputed for frugal engineering in all missions, how do we achieve more with less? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: It all lies in our grooming, upbringing and mentality. If one were to be educated in America and trained at NASA, his/her projects would use abundant resources, but here we try to attain the same by using the least amount of resources. We are all from very humble backgrounds, so we think big with our limited resources. It is just like giving the same assignment to a Government school student and an International School student, both will accomplish it. But the method is what makes all the difference. The classic case is that Western agencies have powerful rockets that can directly reach the moon and other planets, whereas we use our PSLV and GSLV (less powerful in comparison to Western rockets) to attain similar objectives. We use a technique called orbit-raising manoeuvre to slingshot the satellite into the desired orbit/planet. This is what cuts down the cost drastically. WION: What are the major areas that ISRO must focus on in the coming years? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: We must consolidate on our strengths of using space for societal applications such as agriculture, communication, earth observation, resource mapping, navigation etc. Given that we have been fabricating world-class satellites, with further Government permissions, we should be able to commercialize and build satellites for foreign customers. As there are very few players in launching satellites that weight below 1.5 tons, we could focus on that market segment as well. WION: How can collaboration with private firms and academia enhance ISRO’s capabilities? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: Already a couple of satellites are made by the industry collaborators, when satellite-fabrication was opened up for private players there was heavy competition. When more launch-related processes are outsourced to industry, ISRO can focus on the core research and development areas. When more private players and academia offer support, we can achieve more in less time. Ideally, we would require that military-industry-academia collaboration /nexus that drove the science and technology sector in America during the 1960s. WION: As advances in rocket technology furthers the reach, does the moon play a more significant role? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: Currently the International Space Station(ISS) is our outpost in Space. But as the ISS is nearing the end of its operational life, we may need a new stopover for exploring deep space. It would be more prudent to develop infrastructure on the moon rather than develop another Space Station. The moon could be used as an outpost on a journey to Mars. We could also explore options for installing telescopes on the moon. Such a Lunar Space Station should also involve the active participation of countries like India, as we are not a part of the few countries that control the ISS. Commercial players also will get encouraged if space tourism leads to the moon. WION: Foreign Media has tried to belittle our progress when India succeeds in ambitious missions. How do you react to them as a veteran Indian Scientist? Dr Mylswamy Annadurai: As Swami Vivekananda says, any great thing you do, first others will neglect us, then they will laugh at us, oppose us and eventually they will recognize us. Either way, Indian scientists are motivated to work for the progress of our country.

Chandrayaan’s discovery of water on moon’s surface re-started race for lunar exploration: Padma Shri Mylswamy Annadurai

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-planning-to-have-own-space-station-isro-chief-226834">Chandrayaan-2 mission </a>was originally slated for launch 2012 but was delayed due to policy difference under UPA 2 government, former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair told ANI.

"Though the delay is not a serious issue. Chandrayaan-1 was launched 10 years back and a follow-up mission was Chandrayaan-2 was originally planned to be launched in 2012. But due to policy differences under the UPA 2 government, it was delayed," he said on Friday.

"But under the NDA government, Modi Ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has given maximum thrust to such projects like space mission under the leadership of Dr. Sivan, the current Chairperson of ISRO. Several designs have been made in the past few months. I would like to congratulate ISRO for getting ready such a complicated satellite," he added.

Nair led the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter mission in 2008. He was as the Chairman of ISRO then and the Secretary in the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009.&nbsp;

In October 2018, he joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party &nbsp;

The Chandrayaan-2 mission was originally slated for launch 2012 but was delayed due to policy difference under UPA 2 government, former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair told ANI.

The Chandrayaan-2 mission was originally slated for launch 2012 but was delayed due to policy difference under UPA 2 government, former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair told ANI. "Though the delay is not a serious issue. Chandrayaan-1 was launched 10 years back and a follow-up mission was Chandrayaan-2 was originally planned to be launched in 2012. But due to policy differences under the UPA 2 government, it was delayed," he said on Friday. "But under the NDA government, Modi Ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has given maximum thrust to such projects like space mission under the leadership of Dr. Sivan, the current Chairperson of ISRO. Several designs have been made in the past few months. I would like to congratulate ISRO for getting ready such a complicated satellite," he added. Nair led the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter mission in 2008. He was as the Chairman of ISRO then and the Secretary in the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009. In October 2018, he joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party

Chandrayaan-2 delayed due to policy differences under UPA 2: Ex-Isro chief

Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said India's second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2, which is scheduled to be launched between July 9 and 16, will look for specific minerals on the surface of the moon.

Speaking to ANI, Nair said, "Chandrayaan-2 is going to be an exciting mission as far as the Indian space programme is concerned. In 2008, we had sent our first satellite to the moon successfully. It has collected a lot of information about the surface of the moon, its mineral contents and so on. Also, we had the opportunity to place the Indian national flag on the surface of the moon. "

Elaborating on Chandrayaan-2, he said, "There were a lot of complexities associated with this mission. Since the development of the system is complete, we are ready for the mission. More importantly, it is important to carry a rover and make it land on the surface of the moon and then move around for about 300-500 meters and collect samples from the surface of the moon."

ISRO on May 2 said the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLVMKIII) will carry three modules of this lunar mission- Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyam).

"All the modules are getting ready for Chandrayaan-2 launch, with an expected Moon landing on September 06, 2019," ISRO said in a statement.

ISRO had initially planned to launch the mission in April this year.

"The Orbiter and Lander modules will be interfaced mechanically and stacked together as an integrated module and accommodated inside the GSLV MK-III launch vehicle," read a statement issued by the Department of Space.

"The Rover is housed inside the Lander. After launch into earthbound orbit by GSLV MK-III, the integrated module will reach Moon orbit using Orbiter propulsion module. Subsequently, Lander will separate from the Orbiter and soft land at the predetermined site close to the lunar South Pole. Further, the Rover will roll out for carrying out scientific experiments on the lunar surface. Instruments are also mounted on Lander and Orbiter for carrying out scientific experiments," the statement further read.

Chandrayaan-2 comes 10 years after ISRO launched its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, in 2009. The mission included a lunar orbiter and an impactor but didn't include a rover like Chandrayaan-2.&nbsp;

Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said India's second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2, which is scheduled to be launched between July 9 and 16, will look for specific minerals on the surface of the moon.

Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said India's second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2, which is scheduled to be launched between July 9 and 16, will look for specific minerals on the surface of the moon. Speaking to ANI, Nair said, "Chandrayaan-2 is going to be an exciting mission as far as the Indian space programme is concerned. In 2008, we had sent our first satellite to the moon successfully. It has collected a lot of information about the surface of the moon, its mineral contents and so on. Also, we had the opportunity to place the Indian national flag on the surface of the moon. " Elaborating on Chandrayaan-2, he said, "There were a lot of complexities associated with this mission. Since the development of the system is complete, we are ready for the mission. More importantly, it is important to carry a rover and make it land on the surface of the moon and then move around for about 300-500 meters and collect samples from the surface of the moon." ISRO on May 2 said the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLVMKIII) will carry three modules of this lunar mission- Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyam). "All the modules are getting ready for Chandrayaan-2 launch, with an expected Moon landing on September 06, 2019," ISRO said in a statement. ISRO had initially planned to launch the mission in April this year. "The Orbiter and Lander modules will be interfaced mechanically and stacked together as an integrated module and accommodated inside the GSLV MK-III launch vehicle," read a statement issued by the Department of Space. "The Rover is housed inside the Lander. After launch into earthbound orbit by GSLV MK-III, the integrated module will reach Moon orbit using Orbiter propulsion module. Subsequently, Lander will separate from the Orbiter and soft land at the predetermined site close to the lunar South Pole. Further, the Rover will roll out for carrying out scientific experiments on the lunar surface. Instruments are also mounted on Lander and Orbiter for carrying out scientific experiments," the statement further read. Chandrayaan-2 comes 10 years after ISRO launched its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, in 2009. The mission included a lunar orbiter and an impactor but didn't include a rover like Chandrayaan-2.

Ex-ISRO chief says Chandrayaan-2 will look for specific minerals on moon's surface

All modules of India's second moon mission "Chandrayaan-2", scheduled for launch in July, are getting ready and the lander is expected to touch down on the lunar surface in early September, the ISRO said Wednesday.

"The launch window is from July 9 to July 16 with an expected Moon landing on September 6," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in an update on the mission, which was earlier scheduled for April launch.

An official of the space agency had last week said Chandrayaan-2 mission has been further postponed to July in the backdrop of Israel's unsuccessful attempt to land on Moon.

"We saw Israel's example and we don't want to take any risk. Despite Israel being such a technologically advanced country, the mission failed. We want the mission to be a success," he had said.

Earlier, Chandrayaan-2 was scheduled for launch in a window from January-February but ISRO had deferred it to March-April.

In its update Wednesday, the city-headquartered ISRO said the three modules -- Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan) -- of Chandrayaan-2 were getting ready for July launch.

The Orbiter and Lander modules will be interfaced mechanically and stacked together as an integrated module and accommodated inside the GSLV MK-III launch vehicle. The Rover is housed inside the Lander, it said in a statement.

The integrated module will reach the moon orbit using Orbiter propulsion module after its launch into earthbound orbit by GSLV MK-III.

It might take 35 to 45 days to reach the Moon after the launch.

Subsequently, the lander will separate from the orbiter and soft land at the predetermined site close to lunar South Pole, the space agency said.

The rover will roll out for carrying out scientific experiments on the lunar surface. Instruments would also be mounted on the Lander and Orbiter for carrying out scientific experiments, it said.

The ISRO is cautious about Chandrayaan-2, its first mission to land on any celestial body, as it is wary of failure after Israel's Beresheet spacecraft crashed during moon landing on April 11.&nbsp;

All modules of India's second moon mission "Chandrayaan-2", scheduled for launch in July, are getting ready and the lander is expected to touch down on the lunar surface in early September, the ISRO said Wednesday.

All modules of India's second moon mission "Chandrayaan-2", scheduled for launch in July, are getting ready and the lander is expected to touch down on the lunar surface in early September, the ISRO said Wednesday. "The launch window is from July 9 to July 16 with an expected Moon landing on September 6," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in an update on the mission, which was earlier scheduled for April launch. An official of the space agency had last week said Chandrayaan-2 mission has been further postponed to July in the backdrop of Israel's unsuccessful attempt to land on Moon. "We saw Israel's example and we don't want to take any risk. Despite Israel being such a technologically advanced country, the mission failed. We want the mission to be a success," he had said. Earlier, Chandrayaan-2 was scheduled for launch in a window from January-February but ISRO had deferred it to March-April. In its update Wednesday, the city-headquartered ISRO said the three modules -- Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan) -- of Chandrayaan-2 were getting ready for July launch. The Orbiter and Lander modules will be interfaced mechanically and stacked together as an integrated module and accommodated inside the GSLV MK-III launch vehicle. The Rover is housed inside the Lander, it said in a statement. The integrated module will reach the moon orbit using Orbiter propulsion module after its launch into earthbound orbit by GSLV MK-III. It might take 35 to 45 days to reach the Moon after the launch. Subsequently, the lander will separate from the orbiter and soft land at the predetermined site close to lunar South Pole, the space agency said. The rover will roll out for carrying out scientific experiments on the lunar surface. Instruments would also be mounted on the Lander and Orbiter for carrying out scientific experiments, it said. The ISRO is cautious about Chandrayaan-2, its first mission to land on any celestial body, as it is wary of failure after Israel's Beresheet spacecraft crashed during moon landing on April 11.

Chandrayaan-2 modules getting ready for launch in July: ISRO

After PSLVC-45 successfully injected EMISAT into sun-synchronous polar orbit on Monday, ISRO chief K Sivan said the satellite is now marching towards the 485km orbit to do its function as an orbital platform for experiments, adding that next month the space research organisation will launch PSLVC-46 followed by PSLVC-47 and Chandrayaan 2.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-launches-defence-satellite-pslv-c-54-from-sriharikota-207102">(ISRO) PSLVC-45 </a>successfully injected electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT along with 28 international customer satellites into sun-synchronous polar orbit.

The low-Earth orbit satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9.30 am.

Addressing a press conference here, Sivan said: "PSLVC45 is now marching towards the 485 km orbit to do its function as an orbital platform for experiments. I want to thank the team members for making the mission a success."

"This time, the mission is very innovative as three experiments were attached to it -- automatic identification system from ISRO for maritime satellite applications capturing messages transmitted from ships, automatic Packet Repeating System from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) and Advanced Retarding Potential for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) for the structural studies of ionosphere," he added.

Sivan said it is for the first time that a PSLV is carrying out three orbital mission in a single flight.

Stating that industries have played a major role in the success of the mission, Sivan said: "Around 95 per cent of hardware for this mission is fabricated outside ISRO and in fact, the payload for this particular satellite was fabricated in Bengaluru based industry."

For the first time ISRO set up a viewer gallery for common people and around 1,200 viewers enjoyed the show. "As many as 1200 viewers enjoyed the mission launch today. The next mission we will allow five thousand viewers and subsequently, it will be increased to ten thousand in future," the ISRO Chairman said.

Talking about the upcoming events and mission of the ISRO, Sivan stated: "In second half of May, 108 students from various parts of the country will visit the ISRO for 15 days to get exposure of space and science and technology so that they can plan their careers towards space technology that would be useful for us."

"In May we are going to launch, PSLVC-46 followed by PSLVC-47 and Chandrayaan 2. By the end of this year, nearly 30 other missions will be launched," he said.

The PSLVC-45 launch carries 28 international customer satellites from four countries -- Lithuania, Spain, Switzerland and the USA. All these satellites are being launched under commercial arrangements.&nbsp;

After PSLVC-45 successfully injected EMISAT into sun-synchronous polar orbit on Monday, ISRO chief K Sivan said the satellite is now marching towards the 485km orbit to do its function as an orbital platform for experiments, adding that next month the space research organisation will launch PSLVC-46 followed by PSLVC-47 and Chandrayaan 2.

After PSLVC-45 successfully injected EMISAT into sun-synchronous polar orbit on Monday, ISRO chief K Sivan said the satellite is now marching towards the 485km orbit to do its function as an orbital platform for experiments, adding that next month the space research organisation will launch PSLVC-46 followed by PSLVC-47 and Chandrayaan 2. The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) PSLVC-45 successfully injected electronic intelligence satellite EMISAT along with 28 international customer satellites into sun-synchronous polar orbit. The low-Earth orbit satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9.30 am. Addressing a press conference here, Sivan said: "PSLVC45 is now marching towards the 485 km orbit to do its function as an orbital platform for experiments. I want to thank the team members for making the mission a success." "This time, the mission is very innovative as three experiments were attached to it -- automatic identification system from ISRO for maritime satellite applications capturing messages transmitted from ships, automatic Packet Repeating System from AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) and Advanced Retarding Potential for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) for the structural studies of ionosphere," he added. Sivan said it is for the first time that a PSLV is carrying out three orbital mission in a single flight. Stating that industries have played a major role in the success of the mission, Sivan said: "Around 95 per cent of hardware for this mission is fabricated outside ISRO and in fact, the payload for this particular satellite was fabricated in Bengaluru based industry." For the first time ISRO set up a viewer gallery for common people and around 1,200 viewers enjoyed the show. "As many as 1200 viewers enjoyed the mission launch today. The next mission we will allow five thousand viewers and subsequently, it will be increased to ten thousand in future," the ISRO Chairman said. Talking about the upcoming events and mission of the ISRO, Sivan stated: "In second half of May, 108 students from various parts of the country will visit the ISRO for 15 days to get exposure of space and science and technology so that they can plan their careers towards space technology that would be useful for us." "In May we are going to launch, PSLVC-46 followed by PSLVC-47 and Chandrayaan 2. By the end of this year, nearly 30 other missions will be launched," he said. The PSLVC-45 launch carries 28 international customer satellites from four countries -- Lithuania, Spain, Switzerland and the USA. All these satellites are being launched under commercial arrangements.

ISRO to launch PSLVC-46 followed by PSLVC-47, Chandrayaan 2 in May: ISRO chief K Sivan

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has begun the year 2019 with a bang. Not only has the space agency announced a slew of missions, including the much-awaited lunar lander, Chandrayaan-2, slated for 2019, but has set its sight high with its most ambitious project — the human space mission, Gaganyaan.&nbsp;

While announcing the timeline for the human flight targeted at the end of 2021, ISRO chief K Sivan made two important comments. In the context of setting up a new vertical within the agency — the Human Space Flight Centre — he said the agency was looking beyond the first human flight. He said, “We are going to continue this programme in terms of a space station and human to the moon.” The second noteworthy comment from the space agency head was that India would be on a par with China with the human space flight.&nbsp;

Taken together, the comments amount to a marked strategic shift in India’s approach to space and point to the process of maturing of ISRO as a global player in the space arena. Clearly, the agency has recognised the need for human missions as a worthwhile goal to pursue over the long-term as a logical extension of its activities till now. It has also made it apparent that it is joining the undeclared space race with China.&nbsp;

When India took baby steps to become a space-faring nation, Yuri Gagarin had already become the first human to have travelled to space in April 1961, and by the time ISRO took birth, the first human had landed on the moon. Since India’s forays into space began against the backdrop of a bitter space race between America and the Soviet Union, the founding father of the space programme, Vikram Sarabhai, had to declare that “we do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned spaceflight”. Instead, he wanted India to use space technology to solve “real problems of man and society”.

After having followed Sarabhai’s vision for four decades during which ISRO contributed immensely to nation’s development, the agency has finally decided to turn the “fantasy” of a manned space flight into reality. This is definitely a shift because after the first Indian, Rakesh Sharma, was propelled into space aboard Soyuz T-11 in April 1984, participation in international manned missions or planning its own human flights were not on ISRO’s agenda. In fact, human flight was first discussed in India in 2004 — a year after China had sent its first human spaceflight. In 2006, ISRO formally discussed the idea with a group of external experts and began working on some building block technologies needed for the mission as pre-project activity with seed money allocated in subsequent budgets.

India has been building its space capabilities in a step by step manner, working simultaneously on making rockets, fabricating satellites and developing applications. In parallel, it has a very strong presence in space science, having delivered successful missions to the moon, Mars and a space telescope AstroSat. The lunar orbiter, Chandrayaan, and the astronomy satellite have led to some spectacular scientific discoveries using home-made instruments. The Mars Orbiter Mission was a technology demonstrator. On the other hand, China, which began its space programme much later, went ahead more aggressively. It focused on military applications, human flight and building a space station, with an eye on projecting itself as a competitor to NASA. It has a few space science achievements worth mentioning. Clearly, the Indian and Chinese programmes have grown so far with different goals and philosophies. In space applications and space science, India is ahead of China. But in human flights, China has taken a lead having demonstrated its prowess with as many as six successful missions, including operations like spacewalk and docking with its under-construction space station.

ISRO and its leadership are well justified in projecting their ambitions with regard to human flights vis-à-vis China, but these ambitions will need political backing beyond the first human flight planned for December 2021. Though a late entrant in human flights, ISRO may be up to some surprises up its sleeves, as it did with Chandrayaan-1 and the Mars mission. Sniffing signatures of water molecule on the moon by Chandrayaan-1 four decades after man landed there and stringing a spacecraft straight to the Red planet in the first attempt are no mean achievements. For ISRO, the race may have has just begun.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-with-gaganyaan-isro-s-race-to-the-top-gains-velocity-2713926">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has begun the year 2019 with a bang. Not only has the space agency announced a slew of missions, including the much-awaited lunar lander, Chandrayaan-2, slated for 2019, but has set its sight high with its most ambitious project — the human space mission, Gaganyaan.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has begun the year 2019 with a bang. Not only has the space agency announced a slew of missions, including the much-awaited lunar lander, Chandrayaan-2, slated for 2019, but has set its sight high with its most ambitious project — the human space mission, Gaganyaan. While announcing the timeline for the human flight targeted at the end of 2021, ISRO chief K Sivan made two important comments. In the context of setting up a new vertical within the agency — the Human Space Flight Centre — he said the agency was looking beyond the first human flight. He said, “We are going to continue this programme in terms of a space station and human to the moon.” The second noteworthy comment from the space agency head was that India would be on a par with China with the human space flight. Taken together, the comments amount to a marked strategic shift in India’s approach to space and point to the process of maturing of ISRO as a global player in the space arena. Clearly, the agency has recognised the need for human missions as a worthwhile goal to pursue over the long-term as a logical extension of its activities till now. It has also made it apparent that it is joining the undeclared space race with China. When India took baby steps to become a space-faring nation, Yuri Gagarin had already become the first human to have travelled to space in April 1961, and by the time ISRO took birth, the first human had landed on the moon. Since India’s forays into space began against the backdrop of a bitter space race between America and the Soviet Union, the founding father of the space programme, Vikram Sarabhai, had to declare that “we do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned spaceflight”. Instead, he wanted India to use space technology to solve “real problems of man and society”. After having followed Sarabhai’s vision for four decades during which ISRO contributed immensely to nation’s development, the agency has finally decided to turn the “fantasy” of a manned space flight into reality. This is definitely a shift because after the first Indian, Rakesh Sharma, was propelled into space aboard Soyuz T-11 in April 1984, participation in international manned missions or planning its own human flights were not on ISRO’s agenda. In fact, human flight was first discussed in India in 2004 — a year after China had sent its first human spaceflight. In 2006, ISRO formally discussed the idea with a group of external experts and began working on some building block technologies needed for the mission as pre-project activity with seed money allocated in subsequent budgets. India has been building its space capabilities in a step by step manner, working simultaneously on making rockets, fabricating satellites and developing applications. In parallel, it has a very strong presence in space science, having delivered successful missions to the moon, Mars and a space telescope AstroSat. The lunar orbiter, Chandrayaan, and the astronomy satellite have led to some spectacular scientific discoveries using home-made instruments. The Mars Orbiter Mission was a technology demonstrator. On the other hand, China, which began its space programme much later, went ahead more aggressively. It focused on military applications, human flight and building a space station, with an eye on projecting itself as a competitor to NASA. It has a few space science achievements worth mentioning. Clearly, the Indian and Chinese programmes have grown so far with different goals and philosophies. In space applications and space science, India is ahead of China. But in human flights, China has taken a lead having demonstrated its prowess with as many as six successful missions, including operations like spacewalk and docking with its under-construction space station. ISRO and its leadership are well justified in projecting their ambitions with regard to human flights vis-à-vis China, but these ambitions will need political backing beyond the first human flight planned for December 2021. Though a late entrant in human flights, ISRO may be up to some surprises up its sleeves, as it did with Chandrayaan-1 and the Mars mission. Sniffing signatures of water molecule on the moon by Chandrayaan-1 four decades after man landed there and stringing a spacecraft straight to the Red planet in the first attempt are no mean achievements. For ISRO, the race may have has just begun. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

With Gaganyaan, ISRO’s race to the top gains velocity

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan has said when it comes to India versus China debate in the space sector, India is at par with China. His comments have come&nbsp;days after China's launch of Chang'e 4 lunar probe on the dark side of the moon and ahead of India's Chandrayaan-2 mission which will be launched later this year.&nbsp;

Speaking to our correspondent Siddhant Sibal, the chairman also spoke on Gaganyaan and ISRO's focus for 2019.

WION: What will be your focus this year?

K Sivan: This year we mainly want to make use of the children, students and we want them to be more and more aware of ISRO's programmes. We want to bring students for the&nbsp;young scientist programme. Student satellite Kalam SAT is being launched. Along with this outreach programme, we have incubation centres. These are for spreading the wings of ISRO. Along with this, we have priority for Gaganyaan. We have 32 missions to be completed this year.&nbsp;

WION: We are going to launch Chandrayaan-2 this year. Weeks ago <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/chinese-landed-on-moons-far-side-we-will-aim-for-lunar-south-pole-isro-chief-191189">China landed Rover</a> on the dark side of the moon. What is the difference?

K Sivan: The Chinese have landed on the <a href="http://wionews.com/world/china-launches-rover-for-first-far-side-of-the-moon-landing-182334">dark side of the moon</a>. We are going to land on the light side of the moon. Only thing is where we are landing, nobody else has gone. Going closer to the South pole, which nobody has gone. We expect a lot of science available for that.

WION: Your reaction to China versus India space debate?

K Sivan: Regarding the tech part. We are at par with them.

WION: How are we helping the South Asian region?

K Sivan: South Asia, we have one South Asia satellite. We are giving one transponder free of cost to each country. Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives&nbsp;are making use of this. Happy to note they are using satellite for the benefit of their country

WION: On Gaganyaan, are we taking help of countries?&nbsp;

K Sivan: Gaganyaan, many countries are ready to help us. France and Russia are ready to help. We will make use of everybody's expertise to our benefit. NASA is also ready to help us. We want to make use of everyone's help for maximum benefit

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan has said when it comes to India versus China debate in the space sector, India is at par with China.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan has said when it comes to India versus China debate in the space sector, India is at par with China. His comments have come days after China's launch of Chang'e 4 lunar probe on the dark side of the moon and ahead of India's Chandrayaan-2 mission which will be launched later this year. Speaking to our correspondent Siddhant Sibal, the chairman also spoke on Gaganyaan and ISRO's focus for 2019. WION: What will be your focus this year? K Sivan: This year we mainly want to make use of the children, students and we want them to be more and more aware of ISRO's programmes. We want to bring students for the young scientist programme. Student satellite Kalam SAT is being launched. Along with this outreach programme, we have incubation centres. These are for spreading the wings of ISRO. Along with this, we have priority for Gaganyaan. We have 32 missions to be completed this year. WION: We are going to launch Chandrayaan-2 this year. Weeks ago China landed Rover on the dark side of the moon. What is the difference? K Sivan: The Chinese have landed on the dark side of the moon. We are going to land on the light side of the moon. Only thing is where we are landing, nobody else has gone. Going closer to the South pole, which nobody has gone. We expect a lot of science available for that. WION: Your reaction to China versus India space debate? K Sivan: Regarding the tech part. We are at par with them. WION: How are we helping the South Asian region? K Sivan: South Asia, we have one South Asia satellite. We are giving one transponder free of cost to each country. Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives are making use of this. Happy to note they are using satellite for the benefit of their country WION: On Gaganyaan, are we taking help of countries? K Sivan: Gaganyaan, many countries are ready to help us. France and Russia are ready to help. We will make use of everybody's expertise to our benefit. NASA is also ready to help us. We want to make use of everyone's help for maximum benefit

We are at par with China: ISRO chairman on space race

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