Chandrayaan-2 launch countdown begins

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The countdown has begun. Chandrayaan-2 is scheduled to be launched on Monday, July 22, at 2:43 p.m. This will be the second attempt of ISRO.

ISRO Chief K Sivan said, “All preparatory work for Chandrayaan-2 launch has been completed. Technical snags that developed in the first attempt have been rectified. Today evening, the countdown for the launch will begin. Chandrayaan-2 will perform 15 crucial manoeuvres in days to come.”

The rehearsal of the Chandrayaan-2 mission on Saturday was successful and ahead of the launching the rocket as well as the spacecraft’s systems will undergo checks.

The first attempt was on July 15 but it was called off due to a technical snag.

The Chandrayaan-2 will explore such parts of the Moon which have not been explored until now. It will land on the south polar region.

Sivan added that the landing site is the southernmost part of the Moon.

ISRO mentioned that the spacecraft will consist of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. It will have a soft landing on the Moon surface.

With successful landing India will become the fourth country after United States, Russia and China to carry a soft landing on Lunar Surface.

India launched its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1 in August 2008. The second mission is to cost Rs 978 crore to India and it will carry fourteen payloads. It is hoped some secrets of the Moon could be unraveled including evolution of the solar system.