How Chandrayaan 2 is different from 19 moon missions

Chandrayaan 2 will attempt a soft landing at 1.55 am on September 7. A successful landing will make India the fourth country to land on the Moon, and the first to do so near the South Pole.

Chandrayaan 2 will attempt a soft landing at 1.55 am on September 7. A successful landing will make India the fourth country to land on the Moon, and the first to do so near the South Pole.

First view of the moon shot on LI4 Camera by Chandrayaan-2. (ANI file photo)

The Mission Anatomy

Launched onboard India’s most powerful rocket, GSLV MK-III, Chandrayaan-2 will collect and send date from the Moon.

22 July 2019:

As the GSLV MK-III entered space, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd stage rockets fired one-by-one then separated from the launcher pushing it into lunar transfer trajectory.

24 July 2019, 2.52 pm:

First earth bound orbit raising manoeuver performed using the spacecraft’s onboard propulsion system for a firing duration of 48 seconds.

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24 July to 6 August:

Four more manoeuvres raise its orbit and put it on lunar trajectory. On entering the Moon’s sphere of influence, thrusters will slow it down for lunar capture.

384,000 km distance travelled by the lander-rover to reach the Moon’s orbit.

2 September, 1.15 pm:

The lander- Vikram - separates from the orbiter abd then performs a series of manoeuvres comprising of ‘rough’ and ‘fine’ braking to descend on the Moon.

7 September 2019, 2.43 pm:

A 6.5-second-long burn brings the lander-rover closer to the surface of the Moon in preparation for a soft landing.

7 September, 1.40 am:

The lander-rover will begin its powered descent. Landing will take place at 1.55 am. The rover will carry out experiments on the Moon for one lunar day (14 Earth days).

The Orbiter

The Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter is capable of communication with Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) at Byalalu (25 km from Bengaluru) as well as the Vikram lander. The orbiter will be placed in a 100km x 100 km lunar polar orbit for a period of one year.

The Orbiter, which has a mission life of one year, continues to go around the Moon in its orbit.