India's second moon mission Chandrayaan 2 that will cost ₹10 billion will break new records

• India's upcoming mission to Moon, Chandrayaan 2, is the the country's biggest space project yet costing ₹10 billion.
• Chandrayaan-2 is India's second lunar visit but it still marks a lot of firsts for the country and the global community, like being the first country to make a soft landing on the Moon's South Pole.
• It will also be the first time that a country will be exploring the Moon's potential for water.

India's second lunar mission, Chandrayaan 2, set to take off today. It may be India's second trip to the Moon but it will be first time any country in the world will be landing on the Moon's South Pole.

This is India's biggest project till date with the cost coming up to ₹10 billion and will mark many ‘firsts’ for the country’s apex space agency.

Building on Chandrayaan 1's discovery of water is only one part of the Chandrayaan 2's goal on the moon. Since it will be privy to the Moon's craters in a region that's been frozen for millions of years at temperatures dipping below 270 degrees Celcius, the Indians Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is also hoping to look into other primary elements that may be present on the moon.

India’s second lunar mission will be carrying 14 payloads abroad its 3 modules — the orbiter, the lander called Vikram and Pragyan, the rover.

Together, the spacecraft will have a mass of 3.8 tonnes.


Here are all the reasons why Chandrayaan-2 is a landmark mission for India:

1. Soft landing

The last time around, during Chandrayaan-1, ISRO attempted a crash landing on the Moon. But, this time around it is choosing to opt for a soft landing, making it one of the most challenging tasks that ISRO at undertaken till date.

2. Women power

The Chandrayaan-2 mission is also the first time that an ISRO mission is being led by two women — the project director, M Vanitha and the mission director, Ritu Karidhal. Vanitha was recommended to the position for her problem solving skills as well as her deft handling of the team. Karidhal, on the other hand, has already proved her competence as a member of India’s Mars mission.

After many delays, India’s second lunar mission — Chandrayaan-2 — is set to take off from the Sriharikota launch pad on July 15 at 2:51am. But, just because India’s been to the Moon before doesn’t mean that the new mission isn’t a big deal.

3. Covering the Moon in India’s Asoka Chakra

Pragyaan, the rover that will roam the surface of the Moon, is gonna tag the entire Moon with India’s Ashoka Chakra and the ISRO’s logo. As its wheels move across the lunar surface will imprint the move for a total of 500cms — the total distance that the rover can travel during the course of the mission.

4. Water on the Moon

The Chandrayaan 2 mission is also India’s chance to study water on the Moon, first discovered during the Chandrayaan 1 mission. This will be a first for the for the global scientific community and could provide solutions for sustaining human missions to the Moon like the one NASA has planned for 2024 called Artemis.

See also:
India’s second mission to the moon will use these 14 high-tech instruments to look for water

Chandrayaan 2 will give India bragging rights even if it doesn’t find water

India’s second lunar mission pegged to launch in July