Chandrayaan-2 to be Launched on GSLV-Mk-III by ISRO Between January and February 2019
The ISRO Chief further informed as the mass of Chandrayan 2 has increased to 3.8 ton, it can't be launched by GSLV and hence, ISRO has redefined launch vehicle from GSLV to GSLV-Mk-III.
New Delhi, Aug 28: After being delayed twice, India's second moon mission Chandrayaan-2 will be launched between January and February 2019, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said on Tuesday. Sivan informed that the window for launch is in between January 3 to February 16. "In January 2019, we will have a major mission Chandrayaan 2 by GSLV-Mk-III-M1. We have taken a review by experts throughout the country. They appreciated our efforts saying this is the most complex mission ISRO has ever taken", Sivan said.
Chandrayaan-2 will be ISRO's first inter-planetary mission to land a rover on any celestial body. The rover of India's second lunar mission, costing nearly Rs 800 crore, will be made to land near the yet-unexplored south pole, Sivan had said.
The ISRO Chief further informed as the mass of Chandrayan 2 has increased to 3.8 ton, it can't be launched by GSLV and hence, ISRO has redefined launch vehicle from GSLV to GSLV-Mk-III. "It would be the first mission in the world going near South Pole, i.e. 72 degree South is landing site", the ISRO Chairman said.
Earlier this month, top officials had informed that there will be a further delay in the launch of India’s second mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-2 and it may be no sooner than January 2019. The delay of the ambitious mission from October comes in the wake of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facing two setbacks in less than a year. The launch of the mission was first planned in April.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2018 02:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).