It was back in 2008 when our country’s first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1 was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation. Today once again India created history by successfully launching Chandrayaan-2.

The lunar exploration which is equipped with Pragyan rover, orbiter, and Vikram lander was launched from Sriharikota Space Center by the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 which is also known as, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III).

Role of the Pragyan Rover, Orbiter and Vikram Lander

The rover is a 6-wheeled robotic vehicle which can power itself with solar energy and travel up to 500 m. The orbiter will work as a communication medium between the lander and the earth. And the lander is designed to soft land on the lunar surface carrying the rover within it.

The average distance between the moon and the earth is 3,84,000 km and ISRO said that on the 48th day of the mission, Vikram lander will land on the moon.

The Main Objectives

Developed by the scientists of ISRO, the lunar mission costs Rs 978 crore. The two key goals of Chandrayaan 2 are to successfully soft land on the lunar South Pole and use the Pragyan rover to probe the surface. If the mission is triumphant, India will become the fourth country to land on the moon.

Chandrayaan 2 will help India improve the understanding of the moon and also create another indelible name in the field of space technology. This massive mission will motivate aspiring scientists to embark on more such spectacular space research projects.

Image Courtesy: ISRO Twitter