Now, moon lander mission on cards

After the unmanned moon mission, Chandrayaan-1 early next year, India plans to undertake another mission to the moon—this time with a proper lander that would land on the lunar surface...

After the unmanned moon mission, Chandrayaan-1 early next year, India plans to undertake another mission to the moon—this time with a proper lander that would land on the lunar surface, India’s space agency chief said.

Chandrayaan-1 is planned for launch on board India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. The 525-kg satellite will be placed in 100 km polar orbit around the moon and it will have a life time of two years. Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, G Madhavan Nair said Chandrayaan-2, to be undertaken by 2010, will have a proper lander which would land on the lunar surface and try to explore the surface in far more detail.

This satellite would be equipped with remote sensing cameras. “Chandrayaan-2 will have a lander which will touch down on the lunar surface and pick up samples,” Nair said.

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Meanwhile, he said the government has given the go ahead to ISRO to undertake a detailed study and submit a project report on the manned mission to space. “The study project has been cleared,” he said. “We are going into every detail regarding technologies involved… the precision needed… what type of human resources we need… all these will be sharply focused,” he said. “By the end of the year, we will submit a firm project report to the Government.”

The preliminary estimated cost for the manned space mission is Rs 10,000 crore spread over a period of eight

years, according to Bangalore-headquartered ISRO. Nair said ISRO is planning to launch another recoverable satellite next year.

Later speaking at an international seminar here, Nair said ISRO also plans to have reusable launch vehicle. “It’s in the concept stage and by 2020 we should be able to have such a system,” he said.