The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to script history in the wee hours of Monday, July 15, when it will launch the country's second mission to the moon. Chandrayaan-2, or Moon Chariot 2, will blast off from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota Island after a decade-long build-up. If successful, the unmanned mission would make India the fourth country in the world to successfully perform "soft landing" on the moon. The mission would be launched by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III). Chandrayaan-2 New Images: ISRO Releases Photos of Moon Mission A Week Ahead of Launch, Describes Features.

Chandrayaan 2, India's second mission to the moon, will be launched at 2:51 am on Monday. Developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the lunar vehicle is expected to reach the moon on September 6. The total mass of the mission is 3.8 tonnes and has cost Rs 978 crore. As just two days are remaining for the launch, here are some quick facts. Chandrayaan 2: Launch Date, Project Cost & Other Details of India's Second Mission to Moon.

Here are 10 facts on Chandrayaan-2:

  1. Chandrayaan-2 is special because it will be the first spacecraft to conduct a soft landing on Moon's south polar region.

  2. It is the first Indian Mission to explore lunar terrain with home-grown technology.

  3. If successful, Indian would be fouth ever country- after the United States, China, and Russia- to soft land on Moon.

  4. The first pictures will be out in 15 minutes of lander touching ground. However, it will take around four hours from the time of landing to the time rover comes out of lander.

  5. The mission carries 13 scientific instruments for space experiments. Imaging of rocks will be done to find elements like calcium, magnesium, and iron.

  6. ISRO has confirmed that it will try to find water and other minerals on the lunar surface.

  7. Moon Chariot 2 consists of an orbiter, a lander (Vikram) and a rover (Pragyan).

  8. The mission life of the Orbiter is one year, Lander and Rover will have a life of one lunar day (14 earth days).

  9. Rover will conduct scientific experiments and can travel up to 500 meters from the area of landing.

  10. Notably, One wheel of the rover will have the Ashoka Chakra and the Lander will have Tricolour on it.

Chandrayaan-2: Here Are The Steps The Lunar Vehicle Will Undertake to Reach The Moon

The Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission will be also be carrying a laser retroreflector array (LRA) from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Center for calculating the precise measurements of the Moon to Earth distance. Meanwhile, stay connected with Latestly on Sunday for live updates of Chandrayaan-2 launch.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 12, 2019 04:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).