Chandrayaan 2 is the second lunar mission of India. India will become the fourth country in the world to achieve soft landing on the moon, after its successful launching. It is important to note that Chandrayaan 2 is the first ever space mission by any country to explore the South Pole of the Moon. Chandrayaan 2 is set to be launched on 15 July 2019. The main objective of the Chandrayaan 2 is to explore the South polar region of the Moon. The moon's south polar region, has a lunar surface area much larger than that of the north pole and remains in Shadow.
Role of Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan) of Chandrayaan 2 Mission
Chandrayaan 2 is an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) lunar mission. It comprises an obiter and lander (Vikram) carrying a rover (Pragyan).
Chandrayaan 2 Launched by ISRO Video
Chandrayaan 2 Mission will perform different types of studies on the moon, that includes topographical studies, mineralogical analysis and various other experiments. Chandrayaan 2 will take nearly 54 days to reach to the moon's surface after its launch on July 15. During these 54 days it will cover a distance of 3.84 lakh kilometres, the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Rover will perform experiments on moon's surface for one lunar day, which is equivalent to 14 Earth days. Orbiter mission will extend for a period of one year. Here it is worth noting, that GSLV MK III is the most powerful launcher of India and is fully designed and manufactured in India. Orbiter and Lander "Vikram" was named after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space program. Chandrayaan 2 will have 14 Indian payloads to conduct large variety of experiments on the surface of the moon. Go to HOME PAGE Universe Origin Theories, Beginning, Evolution and Future of the Universe (BIG BANG Theory, Steady State Theory and Pulsating Theory)
The Lander Vikram of Chandrayaan-2 Mission by ISRO was about to touch the surface of Moon, but all the celebration and hopes turned to despair, as the lander vikram lost contact with ISRO Earth station. Everything was going as planned but when the lander Vikram was just 2.1 kilometres above the surface of moon, it lost contact with the ISRO earth station. Here is an account of what happened early Saturday morning-
Chandrayaan 2 Mission Video
What Happened to Lander Vikram of Chandrayaan 2 Mission (Timeline)
1.40 am: Lander Vikram started its descent on to the surface of moon. The First manoeuvre the Chandrayaan 2 performed was 'rough braking' to significantly reduce its speed. 1.50 am: Lander Vikram completed its rough braking phase and entered into a fine braking mode. The distance between lander Vikram and lunar surface was only 4 kilometres at this point. 1:50 am - 2:00 am: Updates from the ISRO Centre Bengaluru stopped coming and worried faces of ISRO scientists clearly showed that something has gone terribly wrong.
2:18 am - K. Shivan, the ISRO chief, confirmed that contact with Chandrayaan 2's Vikram Lander had been lost. Vikram had performed its descent as it was supposed to, up until the moment it lost contact when it was 2.1 kilometres above the lunar surface. Data from the Descent was being analysed, Sivan said. Was Chandrayaan 2 Mission a complete Failure? Here it is important to note that Chandrayaan 2 Mission should not be considered a failed mission. ISRO said- 90 to 95% of the Chandrayaan 2 Mission objectives have been accomplished and will continue to contribute to lunar science. Pointing out that the orbiter has already been placed in its intended orbit around the moon, ISRO said, it shall enrich our understanding of the Moon's evolution and mapping of the minerals and water molecules in the polar regions, using its eight state-of-the-art scientific instruments. "The orbiter camera is the highest resolution camera (0.3 metres) in any lunar mission so far and shall provide high resolution images, which will be immensely useful to the Global scientific community," it said. Credits and Sources Go to HOME PAGE Universe Origin Theories, Beginning, Evolution and Future of the Universe (BIG BANG Theory, Steady State Theory and Pulsating Theory)
Here you will know why apollo 11 by NASA took only 4 days to reach Moon but ISRO's chandrayaan-2 is taking 48 days!!! On July 20, 1969, NASA's Apollo 11 mission carrying humans, landed on the surface of moon in just 4 days 6 hours and 45 minutes. Apollo 11 was the world's first manned moon mission. Not only this, it was also the fastest trip of astronauts to the moon. So why is Chandrayaan 2 taking 48 days to reach to the moon? The answer to this question is hidden in the design of the rocket, speed of the lunar craft and the amount of fuel, it is carrying. Actually for the Apollo 11, NASA had used Saturn V. Saturn V was a super heavy lift launcher with a lifting capability of 43 tonnes. This powerful rocket was capable of travelling at a speed of more than 39,000 kilometres per hour.
Apollo 11 by NASA Vs ISRO's Chandrayaan 2 Video
Saturn V was powerful enough to put the modules into the trans-lunar trajectory soon after orbiting the Earth for the second time. Because of the powerful engines used in the saturn V launcher, it was able to cover 380 thousand kilometres in just 4 days. But to achieve all this, NASA had to invest large amounts of money into this mission. NASA had to pump in $185 million, which is equivalent to $1.2 billion in 2016 for each apollo mission between 1969 and 1971. But India does not have a rocket powerful enough, to carry Chandrayaan 2 on a straight path to the moon. The rocket used to carry Chandrayaan 2 is GSLV-MKIII. Its lifting capability is only 4 tonnes, which is much lesser in comparison to the 43 tonne lifting capability of the Saturn V Launcher by NASA. This lifting capability was limited to put chandrayaan 2 having a weight of 3.8 tonnes, in the geosynchronous transfer Orbit. Because of it's less powerful rocket lifting capability, ISRO chose a Circuitous route. In this way it was able to take advantage of the gravity of the earth, which will help slingshot the craft towards the moon. At present the propulsion system of the lunarcraft is helping in raising it's orbit. Once the craft reaches its Apogee, which is the farthest point from Earth, the final Orbit will become so stretched out that the farthest part will be very close to the moon's orbit. ISRO chairman k Sivan told Times of India, " The spacecraft requires a minimum velocity of 11km/sec to go to the moon. Of that, 10.3km/sec is provided by the vehicle and 700 metres per second is being provided by the craft's propulsion system.
Being a small engine, we are burning the engine not continuously but in short bursts to manoeuvre the craft. If we had a powerful engine like Saturn V, we could have reached moon in a single shot." He added, "We are using moon's gravitational pull to take craft to the lunar Orbit. Though we are taking 29 days to reach the lunar Orbit, this is the most cost effective way to travel to moon." Chandrayaan 2 mission was really very cost effective. The total cost of this Mission by ISRO was only a small fraction of the cost of the Apollo 11 mission by NASA. ISRO Invested only 138 million dollars, in the chandrayaan 2 Mission which is nothing in comparison to the huge 1.2 billion dollars invested by NASA in apollo 11 mission as in 2016 value. But here it Is important to note, that the Apollo 11 Mission was a manned mission while the chandrayaan 2 mission is an unmanned mission. This was the basic difference between the two missions by NASA and ISRO. Source and credits Go to HOME PAGE Universe Origin Theories, Beginning, Evolution and Future of the Universe (BIG BANG Theory, Steady State Theory and Pulsating Theory)