India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission is well on its way to the Moon after launching into space on Monday, July 22. The ambitious Moon landing effort will see two spacecraft explore the Moon’s south pole for signs of frozen water. However, it will take Chandrayaan-2 at least seven weeks before it reaches the lunar orb and enters a stable orbit. As a result, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) does not expect Chandrayaan-2 to land until early September.
When will India’s Chandrayaan-2 land on the Moon?
The India spacecraft blasted off this Monday from the Satish Dhawan space centre in Sriharikota.
Chandrayaan-2, carried on powerful booster rockets, took off at precisely 10.13am BST or 2.43pm local time.
However, the launch came a week after its originally pencilled in date of July 14, 2019.
ISRO engineers blamed the delay on a “technical snag”, which according to local media sources was a helium leak in one of the rocket’s engine.
But now that the spacecraft has escaped the Earth’s gravity, it will take at least 47 days to reach the Moon.
Kailasavadivoo Sivan, chairman of ISRO said: “It is the beginning of a historical journey of India towards the Moon, and to land at a place near the south pole to carry out scientific experiments to explore the unexplored.”
Chandrayaan-2 will now slowly extend its orbit from the Earth until it can reach the Moon 240,000 miles (384,400km) away.
The spacecraft will then circularise the Moon until it reaches a stable orbit to drop its spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole.
The Moon landing is expected to take place on September 6 this year.
Chandrayaan-2 is the second lunar mission designed by ISRO to look for signs of water on the Moon.
And the name, Chandrayaan, in Sanskrit means “moon vehicle”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday: “Efforts such as Chandrayaan-2 will further encourage our bright youngsters towards science, top quality research and innovation.
Chandrayaan-2 will further encourage our bright youngsters towards science
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
“Thanks to Chandrayaan, India’s Lunar Programme will get a substantial boost.
“Our existing knowledge of the Moon will be significantly enhanced.”
Once the Chandrayaan-2 mission reaches the Moon, it will deploy a six-wheeled Pragyan Rover and a Vikram Lander.
The Vikram Lander is designed to operate for one lunar day – 14 days on Earth.
Why will the Chandrayaan-2 take so long to reach the Moon?
When Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins flew to the Moon and back in July 1969, it only took the Apollo 11 crew three days to reach the lunar orb.
But the NASA astronauts left the Earth on the world’s most powerful rocket to date – the Saturn V.
The Chandrayaan-2 was launched into space on a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III or GSLV Mk-III.
The Indian rocket is not as powerful as the Saturn V but is India’s best launch vehicle and can carry up to four tonnes of cargo into orbit.
At liftoff, the rocket weighs an impressive 1.4 million pounds (640 tonnes) and stands tall at 142.4ft (43.4m).
Source: Read Full Article