Chandrayaan programme

The Indian Lunar Exploration Programme (Sanskrit: चन्द्रयान Chandrayāna, lit: Moon vehicle^[1][2]  pronunciation ), also known as the Chandrayaan programme, is an ongoing series of outer space missions by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The programme incorporates a lunar orbiter and future lunar lander & rover spacecraft.

Programme structure

The Chandrayaan (Indian Lunar Exploration Programme) programme is a multiple mission programme and so far only one orbiter has been sent to the Moon using ISRO's workhorse PSLV rocket and the second spacecraft is being readied for late 2016-early 2017 launch using GSLV rocket.

Phase I: Orbital missions

The first phase includes the launch of the first lunar orbiters.

• Chandrayaan-1, launched on 22 October 2008 aboard a PSLV-XL rocket, was a big success for ISRO as the Moon Impact Probe, a payload on board the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, discovered water on the Moon. Apart from discovering water the Chandrayaan-1 mission had performed several other tasks such as mapping and atmospheric profiling of the Moon.

Phase II: Soft landers/rovers

The second phase is under preparation which will incorporate spacecraft capable of soft-landing on the Moon and will also deploy a robotic rover on lunar surface.

• Chandrayaan-2, to be launched in 2017 aboard the heavy duty GSLV Mk II rocket.

See also

• Chandrayaan-1
• Chandrayaan-2

References

Indian space programme Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Organisations Department of Space (DoS) Antrix Corporation Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS) National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL) Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Physical Research Laboratory (DECU) Programmes Bhaskara GAGAN GSAT INSAT IRNSS IRS Cartosat RISAT Rohini SROSS Chandrayaan Human spaceflight programme Orbital Vehicle Indian Space Shuttle Programme Spacecraft One-off missions APPLE Aditya Aryabhata Astrosat HAMSAT IMS-1 Megha-Tropiques NISAR SARAL SAARC Satellite SRE Kalpana-1 CARE Planetary missions Chandrayaan-1 Chandrayaan-2 Mars Orbiter Mission Mangalyaan 2 Venus orbiter mission Rockets Orbital SLV ASLV PSLV GSLV GSLV Mk.III Suborbital Rohini Concept RLV-TD AVATAR ULV Under Development Indian TSTO Facilities Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) Master Control Facility (MCF) Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) See also SAGA-220 List of Indian satellites List of Satish Dhawan Space Centre launches List of ISRO missions