CHANDRAYAAN-2
Chandrayaan-2 is India's second lunar
exploration mission after Chandrayaan-1.
Developed by the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO), the mission is planned
to be launched to the Moon by a
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
(GSLV Mk II). It includes a lunar orbiter,
lander and rover, all developed by India.
Chandrayaan-2 is scheduled to be launched
OFFICAL WEBSITE
CHANDRAYAAN-2
https://www.isro.gov.in/gslv-f10-
chandrayaan-2-mission
no earlier than October 2018, and will attempt
Simpelius N, at a latitude of about 70° south.
If successful, Chandrayaan-2 will be the first-
ever mission to land a rover near the lunar
south pole.
According to ISRO, this mission will use and
test various new technologies and conduct
new experiments. The wheeled rover will
move on the lunar surface and will perform
on-site chemical analysis. The data will be
relayed to Earth through the Chandrayaan-2
orbiter, which will piggyback on the same
launch.
HISTORY
On 12 November 2007, representatives of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and ISRO
signed an agreement for the two agencies to work together on the Chandrayaan-2 project. ISRO
would have the prime responsibility for the orbiter and rover, while Roscosmos was to provide the
lander.
The Indian government approved the mission in a meeting of the Union Cabinet, held on 18
September 2008 and chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The design of the spacecraft was
completed in August 2009, with scientists of both countries conducting a joint review.
Although ISRO finalized the payload for Chandrayaan-2 per schedule the mission was postponed in
January 2013 and rescheduled to 2016 because Russia was unable to develop the lander on time.
Roscosmos later withdrew in wake of the failure of the Fobos-Grunt mission to Mars, the reason
being that technical aspects connected with the Fobos-Grunt mission were also used in the lunar
projects, which need to be reviewed. When Russia cited its inability to provide the lander even by
2015, India decided to develop the lunar mission independently.
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