Chandrayaan-2: Everything you need to know about India's lunar mission

 | Updated: Jul 21, 2019, 02:31 PM IST

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has rescheduled the launch of its lunar probe, Chandrayaan-2, it will now be launched on July 22.

Second lunar exploration mission

India is all set to launch second lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan 2, into space on Monday. The launch will happen at 2:43 PM from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

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The 'lunar vehicle'

Chandryaan-2, meaning lunar vehicle in Sanskrit, is heading for the unexplored part of the Moon, south pole and is expected to land on September 7. 

The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover together referred to as 'composite body'. 

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Spacecraft: Designed and made in India

If the launch gets successful then India will become the fourth country to soft-land on the moon, after the US, erstwhile the Soviet Union and China; and the first country to do this with homegrown technology. 

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About the mission

It will carry an orbiter, lander and a rover which has been almost entirely designed and made in India.

The orbiter is meant to keep circling the Moon for about one year, taking pictures of the surface and sending back information on the atmosphere.

A lander named Vikram will take the rover to the surface near the lunar South Pole.

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Technical glitch

Earlier, Chandrayaan-2 was scheduled to be launched on July 15. However, less than an hour before the launch was aborted following a technical glitch in the rocket. 

According to reports, the mission was postponed after the officials detected a drop in pressure after helium was filled into the tank which indicated a leak in the fuel tank.

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Cheapest among international space powers

India has spent about $140 million on preparations for the project, which is one of the cheapest among international space powers.

By comparison, the United States spent about $25 billion the equivalent of more than $100 billion in current prices  on 15 Apollo missions in the 1960s and 70s.

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