India is set to celebrate its first <keyword id="22301946" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Space-Day" source="keywords">National Space Day</keyword> on August 23, 2024. In 2023, on this very day, <keyword id="20376714" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-3" source="keywords">Chandrayaan 3</keyword> accomplished the safe and soft landing of <keyword id="21074312" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Lander" source="keywords">Vikram Lander</keyword> on the <keyword id="20381887" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lunar-surface" source="keywords">lunar surface</keyword>. India became the fourth country to land on the moon and the first to land near the southern polar region of the moon. The <keyword id="19909265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Government" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Government" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Union Government">Union Government</keyword> has declared August 23rd as "National Space Day" to celebrate the remarkable success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission, which accomplished a safe and soft landing of the Vikram Lander and deployed the <keyword id="22760272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pragyaan-rover" source="keywords">Pragyaan rover</keyword> on the lunar surface near the South Pole. This achievement is being celebrated across the country with the goal of engaging and inspiring the younger generation in the field of <keyword id="21280701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Space-Science" source="keywords">Space Science</keyword> and Technology. To commemorate this historical achievement, the Department of Fisheries (DoF), <keyword id="19923385" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Government-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Government of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Government of India">Government of India</keyword> (GoI), is organizing a series of seminars and demonstrations, to create awareness about the Application of Space Technologies in the Fisheries Sector. The events are being organized in collaboration with various coastal States and Union Territories, <keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ISRO" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ISRO">ISRO</keyword> and DoF field offices. Earlier, the notification issued by the Department of Space said India became the first country to land near the South pole of the moon with the success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission. "With the success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission on August 23, 2023, with the landing of the Vikram lander and deployment of the Pragyaan Rover on the lunar surface, India joins an elite group of Space faring nations becoming the fourth country to land on the moon and the first nation to land near to South pole of the moon," said the notification. "The outcome of this historic mission will benefit mankind in the years to come," it added. The notification said the day marks an important milestone in the country's advancements in space missions, will inspire younger generations towards enhanced interest in pursuing <keyword id="19960286" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stem" source="keywords">STEM</keyword> and will provide a major impetus to the space sector. "The Government of India has declared August 23 of every year as 'National Space Day' to commemorate this historic moment," it said.

India set to celebrate first National Space Day on August 23

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moon-cube-discovered-by-chinese-rover-is-just-a-rock-2022-1">moon rover</a> made its first scientific observation near the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-moon-landings-on-lunar-south-pole-crashed-2023-8">lunar south pole</a>.</li><li>The 57-pound rover is called Pragyaan — a Hindu name meaning one who possesses wisdom.</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-india-attempt-first-ever-moon-landing-2023-8">India made history</a> by becoming the first country to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-plans-send-humans-to-moon-celebrates-lunar-probe-success-2023-8">land successfully</a> near the lunar south pole. And its lunar rover wasted no time in rolling out to make its first scientific observations. On Tuesday, the Indian Space Research Organization announced on its website that the moon rover had <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/LIBSResults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> the presence of sulphur. And preliminary analyses also suggest the presence of aluminum, calcium, iron, chromium, and titanium. Suffice it to say, the rover's been busy. This adorable rover is called Pragyaan — a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oppenheimer-famous-quote-become-death-destroyer-worlds-from-hindu-scripture-2023-7">Hindu</a> name meaning one who possesses greater knowledge and wisdom.Pragyaan weighs 57 pounds, about the size of a small German shepherd or bull terrier, and it's spending two weeks driving <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-moon-landings-on-lunar-south-pole-crashed-2023-8">where no robot or human has been before</a>.Pragyaan's science could be critical for learning how to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-scientists-discover-moons-hidden-water-stores-2020-10">mine moon water</a> — a goal every moon-minded nation is eyeing.The rover may be small and cute, but India's new moon mission "definitely puts them on the international stage as an emerging space power," Robert Braun, head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, told Insider.<h2>What will India's moon rover do next?</h2>It's equipped with a laser and an alpha-particle beam to help it study the composition of the lunar south pole region, which is of particular interest.<div type="image" title="Image of India's moon lander and rover in lab on Earth." height="483" width="725" msid="102996626" hostid="261"></div>The lunar south pole is thought to be the most <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/moon-south-pole-has-more-than-water-according-to-nasa-scientists/articleshow/70356565.cms">water-rich region on the moon</a>. That's critical since water ice could be mined to produce breathable oxygen for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-artemis-humans-to-live-moon-by-2030-says-official-2022-11">future crewed lunar bases</a>, as well as hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel that could propel <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buzz-aldrin-moon-should-be-launch-pad-for-mars-2018-6">future missions to Mars</a> and beyond.The rover will also use its RAMBHA and ILSA payloads on board to study the lunar atmosphere as well as dig up samples for additional analysis of the surface's composition, per <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/chandrayaan-3-rover-will-leave-a-mark-of-india-on-moon-surface/articleshow/101765194.cms?from=mdr">Times of India</a>.But it was the rover's Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument that ultimately made the first-ever measurements of the lunar south pole region's composition, ISRO reported. The laser fires intense pulses at the lunar surface, which generates an extremely hot plasma.That's where a trick of physics comes in handy: Each element on the periodic table emits a unique set of wavelengths of light. Scientists can study the light from the plasma to identify those wavelength sets and determine the chemical make-up of the stuff on the moon.<h2>A moment for the history books</h2>India is the fourth country — after Russia, the US, and China — to land on the moon."It's a huge achievement for the whole nation," Braun said. "Last time they got to the playoffs, if you will, and this time they won the Super Bowl.""Everyone in the space community is joining with the nation of India, and their talented engineers and scientists, and celebrating their success and this achievement," he added.Correction: August 28, 2023 — An earlier version of this article misstated Robert Braun's title. He is head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, not head of a Space Exploration Center there. This story has been updated. It was originally published on August 23, 2023.Editor's note September 1, 2023: This article has been updated to clarify that India's spacecraft landed in the lunar south pole region, not on the point of the lunar south pole.

India's adorable, dog-sized moon rover did its first science on the moon by shooting powerful laser beams at the surface

<ul><li>Chandrayaan 2’s lander, Vikram, successful soft landing near the Moon’s South Pole will be a major accomplishment for India. </li><li>The primary objective of the mission to find out if the lunar south pole has an abundance of water. </li><li>The high tech instruments aboard the orbiter, lander and rover will also look for other elements to understand the origins and evolution of the Moon. </li></ul>In a highly challenging space venture, The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is soft-landing the lander Vikram on the moon’s South Pole between 01:30 am and 02:30 am on Saturday, 7 September 2019. The $150 million project is all set to boost up India’s image in the international arena with the thumping success of its homegrown space technology. Now the interesting question remains, why is ISRO taking up this challenging mission? What is it actually searching for on the moon’s surface through Chandrayaan-2? What will Chandrayaan-2 do on the moon? Chandrayaan-2 can be called a three-in-one mission that consists of an orbiter, a lander called Vikram and a rover named Pragyan that will roll on six-wheels. The rover will operate on the moon for about two weeks and the lander is expected to operate for a whole year. The payloads and high tech instruments onboard can find out the composition of moon rocks, find probable sites for water and measure seismic activity. After four hours of landing on the moon, the lander Vikram will deploy the six wheeled rover Pragyan that will travel about half a kilometer on the moon during its lifetime. With the help of its cameras and instruments, it will examine the nature of the lunar soil. The lander is also fitted with a laser retro-reflector will can measure the moon’s surface with high precision. Its other sophisticated instruments will measure the density of plasma in the thin atmosphere of the moon. Vikram also has a few instruments to detect the presence of some isotopes like helium-3, which is considered to have high potential for being a source of fuel in the future. What the orbiter will do on the moon The lander and rover will send all their findings to the orbiter. Chandrayaan-2 will continue to operate for about a year. The rover will die after one lunar day (14 earth days) as they can never survive the extreme cold temperature during the next 14 days when the side of the moon where they will land will not be exposed to sun. For about a year, the orbiter will continue to study the presence of water ice on the South Pole of the moon and will create a 3D map of the moon’s surface. This data supplied by the orbiter is considered as crucial to the future human missions that will be attempted on the moon’s South Pole. About the South Pole of the moon The south pole of the moon is a place where nobody else has gone so far. This lunar surface that remains in shadow is quite larger than the North Pole and it is possible that water is present in this region that is permanently shaded. The South Pole also has some interesting craters that act like cold traps. They might contain fossil records of the solar system to help ISRO understand the evolution of the Moon. What ISRO says about the mission According to ISRO, the principal objective of the Chandrayaan-2 mission is to demonstrate the key technologies that will attest the complete suite of lunar mission capability that will include soft-landing as well as roving on the moon’s surface. This mission is expected to deepen our understanding of the moon’s minerals, topography, chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics, the nature of its atmosphere and many other facts that will throw more light on the moon’s origin and evolution. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chinas-lunar-rover-does-what-indias-chandrayaan-2-is-hoping-to-do-on-the-moons-south-pole/articleshow/70942638.cms">China’s lunar rover does what India’s Chandrayaan 2 is hoping to do on the Moon’s South Pole</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-is-not-just-looking-for-water-on-the-moon/articleshow/70974829.cms">Chandrayaan 2 is not just looking for water on the moon</a> <a href="https://businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-why-indias-isro-is-going-to-the-moon/articleshow/69893150.cms">Chandrayaan 2 will give India bragging rights even if it doesn’t find water</a>

Here's what Chandrayaan 2 is looking for on the Moon

<ul><li>It’s going to take <keyword id="414120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-2">Chandrayaan 2</keyword>, seven weeks in space before it finally attempts to land on the lunar surface. </li><li>For the first 23 days of its voyage, the satellite will orbit around the Earth to build up its velocity before reaching the point that will be closest for it to enter the Moon’s orbit. </li><li>Vikram, the lander, will separate from the orbiter once its on track around the Moon to ‘free fall’ towards the lunar surface before attempting a ‘soft landing’ that should take approximately 15 minutes. </li></ul>India’s Chandrayaan 2 was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isro-chandrayaan-2-india-moon-mission-launches-successfully-at-243-pm/articleshow/70328430.cms">successfully launched </a>towards the Moon yesterday, but the satellite’s journey has only just begun. “Our task is not over yet,” <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/after-chandrayaan-2-launch-isro-chief-k-sivan-lists-out-the-tasks-cut-out-for-the-moon-mission/articleshow/70329956.cms">remarked K Sivan</a>, the chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>), after Chandrayaan 2 completed its launch sequence yesterday after taking off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota. The satellite has to reach the Moon by September because the lander, Vikram and the rover, Pragyan, don’t have the durability to withstand the temperature of lunar nights, which can last for over two Earth weeks. The launch vehicle dubbed ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-most-powerful-launcher-will-carry-chandrayaan-2-on-moon-mission/articleshow/70202043.cms">Bahubali</a>’ for its size and capacity did its job of launching <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-why-indias-isro-is-going-to-the-moon/articleshow/69893150.cms">Chandrayaan 2</a>6,000 kms further than anticipated. Now, the satellite will have to attempt 15 maneuvers in space before it successfully lands on the Moon. Despite the rush to reach the Moon as soon as possible, it’s going to take 7 weeks because of a simple reason — cruising speed. Bahubali has given Chandrayaan 2 the velocity to carry forward and travel the 384,000 kilometers to the Moon. Circling the Earth to build speed According to the mission schedule, the satellite will spend around 23 days orbiting Earth in geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). This is less than the original amount of time that Chandrayaan 2 was scheduled to spend in orbit around the Earth. ISRO decided to cut down on the time after the launch of the satellite was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isros-moon-mission-chandrayaan-2-halted-yet-again/articleshow/68737760.cms">delayed on July 15</a> due to an issue with the GSLV Mark III - M1 launch vehicle. As it orbits the Earth, the spacecraft will continue to get faster. Once Chandrayaan 2 reaches apogee — the farthest point in orbit from Earth — combined with the satellite module’s increased velocity, the final orbit of the satellite will come close to the Moon’s orbit. The 'free fall' Chandrayaan 2 has three components — the lander, the orbiter and the rover. Once in position, it’s going to burn some of the excess fuel to slip into the Moon’s orbit. Vikram, the lander, will then separate from the orbiter to reorient and ‘free fall’ towards the moon. As Vikram comes closer the Moon’s surface, the orbiter will scan the landing site from above and Vikram scans the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-puts-india-on-moon-south-pole-ahead-of-america-russia-china/articleshow/70212854.cms">Moon’s South Pole</a> on its descent. But, in order to ‘land’ on the moon and not ‘crash’, Chandrayaan 2 needs to cushion its fall. That’s where the thrusters come in. Vikram will perform a series of deboosting procedures to in order to ‘soft land’ on the moon. The 15 minutes that it will take to attempt the soft landing near the Moon’s South Pole are going to be the most ‘terrifying moments’ for ISRO, according to Sivan. 15 days of exploring the unexplored Once the Vikram touches down on the Moon, it will release Pragyaan, the rover, onto the Moon. It will cover a distance of approximately 500 meters while leaving behind the Ashoka Chakra and ISRO logo imprinted wherever it wanders. The three modules will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-india-moon-mission-14-high-tech-instruments-to-look-for-water/articleshow/69867398.cms">carry out scientific observations</a> on the Moon for 14 days, and send the data back to Earth. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-chandrayaan-2-gets-delayed-for-a-seventh-time-isro-blames-technical-snag/articleshow/70220868.cms">India’s Chandrayaan 2 gets delayed due to a technical snag, pausing countdown at 56 mins</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-puts-india-on-moon-south-pole-ahead-of-america-russia-china/articleshow/70212854.cms">India's Chandrayaan 2 takes the lead ahead of America, Russia, and China as the first of many missions to the Moon's South Pole</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-mission-will-go-where-no-country-has-ever-gone-before/articleshow/70202045.cms">Chandrayaan-2 mission will go where no country has ever gone before</a>

Here’s why it’s going to take 7 weeks for Chandrayaan 2 to reach the Moon

<ul><li>The <keyword id="116095" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (ISRO) attempted to soft land on the moon but lost communication with its lander, Vikram, seconds before touchdown. </li><li>The orbiter currently circling the Moon is running smoothly and is expected to last for the next seven and a half years. </li><li>"Chandrayaan 2 mission is 95% successful," said <keyword id="6361773" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro-chairman-k-sivan">ISRO chairman K Sivan</keyword>. </li></ul>India’s mission to the moon wasn’t just about making the landing — that was only ‘record breaking’ part of it. "Chandrayaan 2 mission is 95% successful," stated Sivan. The mission’s saving grace is the orbiter. It’s also doing most of the heavy lifting with eight of the 13 payloads assigned to the mission resting on its shoulders. "Extra fuel is available in the orbiter. At present, the orbiter life is estimated to last seven and a half years," said Sivan. Chandrayaan 2 is a three part mission In fact, there are three parts to Chandrayaan 2 — the orbiter, the lander named Vikram and the rover called Pragyaan. Pragyaan was unfortunately onboard the lander, so it probably won’t be roaming the lunar surface. "It (Chandrayaan 2) had two objectives. One was science and the other was a technology demonstration," stated Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Sivan in an interview with Doordarshan. "The science part is mostly a part of the orbiter. And, the technology demonstration was mostly a part of the lander and rover," he added. Even if Vikram is intact, the rover could only exclusively communicate with the lander, which would then relay the information back to Earth — or there’s no way to send a signal to activate Pragyaan from mission control. There’s still a chance Chandrayaan 2 will find water One of the orbiter’s critical payloads is the Imaging IR Spectrometer (IIRS). Its primary objective is to map the mineralogy of the Moon and confirm where water ice might be present on the lunar surface. According to ISRO, this is the first time that they will have a complete characterisation of water features in high spatial (80 meters) and spectral (20 nanometers) resolutions. That means, not only can Chandrayaan 2 still track down water deposits but it will also be able to track other elements — like helium-3 considered to be an alternative to fuel, gold, and other rare Earth metals. It won’t be doing it alone. While IIRS will be mapping the moon, the Chandrayaan 2 Large Area X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) will going to be deep diving into its search for major elements — like magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, titanium, iron and sodium. A close up of the Moon’s poles The other objective of the Chandrayaan 2 mission was to explore uncharted territory. Even though an onground analysis might not be possible, the Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR) will conduct a high resolution lunar mapping of the polar regions. It’s also going to try and estimate how much water ice is actually present near the Moon’s extremes — and how deep it goes. Using dual frequencies, the payload is going to try and determine how thick the Moon’s the top layer — the regolith — is and how that thickness variates. The Moon’s origin story The rover, Pragyaan, was meant to explore the lunar surface on the South Pole — a region that’s largely preserved. Because of the shelter that craters provide, Pragyaan was hoping to learn more about the evolution and origins of the Moon through fossil records. The orbiter might not be able to physically find these fossil records but there’s a lot it can do from the sky. The Terrain Mapping Camera 2 (TMC 2) will map the lunar surface in high spatial resolution of five meters. The data sent back can give clues to the Moon’s evolution and even help collate a 3D map of the surface. The moon, the sun and everything in between The other payloads on board the orbiter will also be carrying out their own objectives. For instance, the Solar X-Ray Monitor (XSM) will observe the x-rays emitted by the Sun and it’s corona. The Chandrayaan 2 Atmospheric Compositional Explorer 2 (CHACE 2) is going to be following in the footsteps of its predecessor on board Chandrayaan 1. It will be carrying out an in-situ study of the composition and distribution of the lunar exosphere. And, one of the payloads — the Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) — might even have some answers about what happened to Vikram, the lander. According to ISRO, it was OHRC’s job to provide high resolution pictures of the landing site to avoid any obstacles as the lander touched down. It’s going to be a couple of days before India’s space agency discloses what actually happened during the moon landing. They are currently analysing the data to figure out what went wrong.

Chandrayaan 2’s orbiter has seven and a half years to scan the surface of the Moon

<keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ISRO" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ISRO">ISRO</keyword> Chairman Dr. S Somnath today said that the <keyword id="19895633" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investments" source="keywords">investments</keyword> that have been made in the space program have benefited society. He added that lakhs of people have got employment opportunities and thus, received direct and indirect benefits. "The investment that we made in the space program has benefited the society. I think many times people don't realise how it impacts. And we have commissioned recently a study with some of the consultants to understand and measure what exactly the impact on society of the investment that we made in the space program," said the ISRO chairman while addressing a programme on 'Creating a Space Ecosystem: A New Era-Igniting Young Minds for Space Exploration'. "It also has created jobs and employment opportunities for lakhs of people, direct and indirect. It also created support systems for fishermen, agriculture, crop forecasting, natural resources planning and disaster avoidance. You all understand the impact that it creates when <keyword id="19990220" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan" source="keywords">Chandrayaan</keyword> touches the surface of the moon," he added. Earlier on Friday, the ISRO launched the <keyword id="21767253" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Earth-Observation-Satellite" source="keywords">Earth Observation Satellite</keyword> (EOS)-08 onboard the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar congratulated the ISRO for the successful launch of the EOS-08 onboard the SSLV-D3. Jaishankar said that it opened new possibilities for low-cost <keyword id="20018231" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-missions" source="keywords">space missions</keyword> and greater international collaboration. The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites, an ISRO release said earlier. EOS-08 marks a significant advancement in satellite mainframe systems such as an Integrated Avionics system, known as the Communication, Baseband, Storage, and Positioning (CBSP) Package, which combines multiple functions into a single, efficient unit. This system is designed with cold redundant systems using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and evaluation boards, supporting up to 400 GB of data storage. ISRO is gearing up to mark <keyword id="22301946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Space-Day" source="keywords">National Space Day</keyword> on August 23. The <keyword id="19909265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-government" source="keywords">Union Government</keyword> has declared August 23rd as "National Space Day" to celebrate the remarkable success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission, which accomplished a safe and soft landing of the Vikram Lander, and deployed the Pragyaan rover on the lunar surface near the South Pole. This achievement is being celebrated across the country to engage and inspire the younger generation in the field of Space Science and Technology.

Investments made in space program have benefited society, says ISRO Chairman Dr S Somnath

<ul class="summary-list"><li>NASA discovered a huge new crater on the moon with a diameter of 33 feet.</li><li>The crater was likely caused by Russia's Luna-25 lander crashing into the moon last month, NASA said.</li></ul>NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter discovered a new crater on the moon that's 33 feet in diameter — as wide as a 3-story building is tall.It could be the crash site of Russia's Luna-25 moon lander, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2023/lro-luna-25-impact" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA said in a statement Thursday</a>."During its descent" on August 19, "Luna 25 experienced an anomaly that caused it to impact the surface of the Moon," NASA said in the statement.The point of impact where the crater is located is about 250 miles short of where Luna-25 was intended to land, NASA said. Luna-25 was supposed to touch down on the moon last month, but the probe lost communications during its descent <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-moon-landings-on-lunar-south-pole-crashed-2023-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and crashed</a>.<div type="image" title="New crater in the moon thought to be site of Luna-25 lander crash." height="1100" width="1100" msid="103293191" hostid="261" sizebytes="106716"></div>It was Russia's first mission to the moon in nearly 50 years. Had Luna-25 successfully landed, it would have been the first spacecraft in history to land on and explore the lunar south pole region.Instead, India beat Russia to the punch and became the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-moon-rover-to-collect-first-samples-lunar-south-pole-2023-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first country to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole</a> region in late August with its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-moon-rover-to-collect-first-samples-lunar-south-pole-2023-8">dog-sized moon rover, Pragyaan</a>. The country had previously tried to land a craft near the lunar south pole, but it failed the first time.Pragyaan's findings could be critical for learning how to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-scientists-discover-moons-hidden-water-stores-2020-10">mine moon water</a> — a goal every moon-minded nation is eyeing.And though India's 57-pound rover may be small, it "definitely puts them on the international stage as an emerging space power," Robert Braun, head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, previously told Insider.

NASA discovered a new crater on the moon as wide as a 3-story building, and it's probably Russia's Luna-25 gravesite

<ul><li>Officials at the <keyword id="116095" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> claim that Chandrayaan 2's lunar lander, Vikram, is still intact — but it's tilted.</li><li>ISRO has 14 days to re-establish contact with the lander before the lunar night sets in. </li><li>ISRO chairman K Sivan stated, "It was a hard landing."</li></ul>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has spotted Chandrayaan 2's lunar lander on the Moon. It is located about 500 meters away from the designated landing site. But, rather than landing in an upright position, the lander is 'tilted', according to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pictures-of-moon-and-earth-by-chandrayaan-2-lander-and-orbiter/articleshow/71015068.cms">image captured</a> by the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2s-orbiter-has-seven-and-a-half-years-to-scan-the-surface-of-the-moon/articleshow/71027327.cms">orbiter</a>'s Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Indias-second-mission-to-the-moon-will-use-these-14-high-tech-instruments-to-look-for-water/Terrain-Mapping-Camera-2-TMC-2/slideshow/69868222.cms">TMC-2</a>). "The lander is there as a single piece, not broken into pieces. It's in a tilted position," an official from ISRO told <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isro-not-losing-hope-continues-to-make-all-out-efforts-to-restore-link-with-lander-vikram/articleshow/71045854.cms">PTI</a>. Can't move the lander With other spacecrafts, it's possible to reorient them. Vikram, on the other hand, has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/moon-landing-drama-play-by-play-of-isro-losing-communication-with-chandrayaan-2s-lander/articleshow/71018307.cms">already landed</a> and there's no way to get it back off the ground. "It must have been a hard landing," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2s-lander-vikram-found-on-the-moon-but-isro-suspects-hard-landing/articleshow/71035718.cms">ISRO Chairman K Sivan</a> told reporters on Sunday. But ISRO isn't ruling out the possibility of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-fails-in-the-final-seconds-of-descent-to-moons-south-pole/articleshow/71018196.cms">establishing communications</a> with Vikram. They just need the antennas onboard the lander to either point towards the ground station or the orbiter in order to send or receive signals. "Such operation is extremely difficult. At the same time, chances are good and we will have to keep our fingers crossed," stated the ISRO official. On a 14 day deadline ISRO has 14 days to re-establish contact with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vikram-chandrayaan-2s-lander-as-it-lands-on-the-moon/articleshow/71008396.cms">Vikram</a> before the lunar night sets in for another 14 days. The longer they wait, the higher the probability of losing Vikram altogether. The reason being that Vikram is primarily powered using solar panels. Without the sun to generate energy, the lander won't be able to operate. Vikram has internal batteries as well, but they're reportedly "not used much". The lander being knocked out also bears bad news for its payloads and the rover, Pragyaan, which is currently boxed up inside Vikram. Pragyaan can only exclusively send signals to the lander, which has the capability to relay information back to Earth. Hence, loss of communication with the lander automatically implies loss of communication with Pragyaan. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vikram-chandrayaan-2s-lander-as-it-lands-on-the-moon/articleshow/71008396.cms">Everything you need to know about Vikram, Chandrayaan 2's lander, as it lands on the Moon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pictures-of-moon-and-earth-by-chandrayaan-2-lander-and-orbiter/articleshow/71015068.cms">IN PICS: All pictures clicked by Chandrayaan 2's lander — Vikram</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2s-lander-vikram-found-on-the-moon-but-isro-suspects-hard-landing/articleshow/71035718.cms">Chandrayaan 2 definitely reached the Moon but might have 'hard' news in store</a>

ISRO has 14 days to contact Chandrayaan 2's 'tilted' but intact lander

<ul><li>India's upcoming mission to Moon, <keyword id="414120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-2">Chandrayaan 2</keyword>, is the the country's biggest space project yet costing ₹10 billion.</li><li>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.</li><li>It will also be the first time that a country will be exploring the Moon's potential for water.</li></ul>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. 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="Bengaluru: ISRO personnel work on the orbiter vehicle of Chandrayaan-2, India&amp;#39;s ..." msid="69843050" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;ISRO personnel work on the orbiter vehicle of Chandrayaan-2&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>










 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. 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="Bengaluru: ISRO personnel work on the orbiter vehicle of Chandrayaan-2, India&amp;#39;s ..." msid="69843107" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;ISRO personnel work on the orbiter vehicle of Chandrayaan-2&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>











 4. <keyword id="2179903" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Water-on-the-moon">Water on the Moon</keyword> 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: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-india-moon-mission-14-high-tech-instruments-to-look-for-water/articleshow/69867398.cms">India’s second mission to the moon will use these 14 high-tech instruments to look for water</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-why-indias-isro-is-going-to-the-moon/articleshow/69893150.cms">Chandrayaan 2 will give India bragging rights even if it doesn’t find water</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayan-2-lunar-mission-to-launch-in-july-by-isro/articleshow/69139095.cms">India’s second lunar mission pegged to launch in July</a>

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

<ul><li><keyword id="414120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-2">Chandrayaan 2</keyword>'s lander, Vikram, has been spotted on the Moon using a thermal camera abroad the orbiter.</li><li>The lander is still silent.</li><li>"It must have been a <keyword id="708451" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="hard-landing">hard landing</keyword>," said <keyword id="6361773" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro-chairman-k-sivan">ISRO Chairman K Sivan</keyword>.</li></ul>All isn't lost for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The lunar lander, Vikram, which was thought to be lost after communication went down — has been spotted. The next 14 days will determine whether or not ISRO can actually communicate with the lander. The longer Vikram is silent, the harder it will be establish contact. If ISRO is unable to make contact before the deadline, it's unlikely to have the lunar lander up and running because after 14 days, the lunar night will set in for the next 14 days . This means the lander won't be able to charge itself using its solar panels. Chandrayaan 2's orbiter, which is circling the Moon's poles, ISRO was able to pinpoint the lander's position with the Thermal Mapping Camera 2 (TMC-2). "We've found the location of Vikram Lander on lunar surface and orbiter has clicked a thermal image of the lander. But there is no communication yet. We are trying to have contact. It will be communicated soon," said ISRO chairman, K Sivan. The only thing is, Chandrayaan 2's <keyword id="943223" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="soft-landing">soft landing</keyword> might have ended up a hard one instead. A soft landing is when a spacecraft gently lowers itself onto the surface, keeping itself intact. A hard landing is also when the spacecraft meets the surface — by crashing into in or at least damaging itself in some way. ISRO has not yet confirmed if the lander has been damaged but Sivan told PTI, "It must have been a hard-landing." It's not just the fate of the lander than hangs in the balance but also the rover — Pragyaan — that's onboard the lander. Holding onto hope ISRO lost communication with Vikram in the wee hours of the morning on 7 September 2019. The mission control operations center was grim and Sivan was distraught. 
 <div type="image" title="0E2981D9-1DE0-4E4D-8BEB-D9A11E0B371A_edited" msid="71035752" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Distraught ISRO Chairman, K Sivan, breaks down in front on the Indian Prime Minister Nardendra Modi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 Despite looking to make contact with the lander, Sivan said the mission is 95% successful since the landing only failed 2.1 kilometers from the lunar surface — seconds before touchdown. He added that the lunar orbiter is still circling the Moon and will continue to do so for another seven and a half years. Experts believe that ISRO will spend the next 14 days trying to contact the lander to hopes to getting it to work.

Chandrayaan 2 definitely reached the Moon but might have 'hard' news in store

<ul><li><keyword id="191583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jeff-Bezos">Jeff Bezos</keyword>, founder of <keyword id="199288" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Blue-Origin">Blue Origin</keyword> and Amazon, has wished India 'good luck' as <keyword id="414120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-2">Chandrayaan 2</keyword> attempts to land on the Moon tonight.</li><li>Vikram, Chandrayaan 2's lander, is scheduled to soft land on the moon between 1:30am and 2:30am Indian Standard Time (IST) on 7 September, 2019.</li><li>Bezos' plans for outer space include setting up an outpost on the Moon to mine for resources that will eventually build a bigger colony.</li></ul>The world is watching Chandrayaan 2 as it makes it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-chandrayaan-2s-soft-landing-on-the-moon-will-be-the-15-most-terrifying-minutes-for-isro/articleshow/71011152.cms">landing</a> near the Moon's South Pole. And so is one of the world’s richest men, Jess Bezos — the founder of Amazon and his own space company, Blue Origin. And, he’s rooting for India to reach the Moon safe and sound. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="JeffBezos" handlename="Jeff Bezos" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/669103856106668033/UF3cgUk4_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1616" retweetcount="481" status="Rooting for team India. Good luck, India! #Chandrayaan2 https://t.co/iWWSqPs4nz" createdat="1567793362000" id="1170036283315388416"></div>



 Chandrayaan 2’s lander, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vikram-chandrayaan-2s-lander-as-it-lands-on-the-moon/articleshow/71008396.cms">Vikram</a>, is scheduled to touch down near the Moon’s Pole between 1:30am and 2:30am tonight. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-chandrayaan-2-is-landmark-moon-mission-for-india/articleshow/69842571.cms">primary objective</a> of India’s second mission to the Moon is to build on Chandrayaan 1’s discovery of water. The three modules of Chandrayaan 2 — the orbiter, the rover called Pragyaan and the lander called Vikram — are going to be looking of icy deposits that may have abundant quantities of water. Why does Bezos care? Blue Origin has ambitious plans for space and more. It plans plans to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-have-profound-visions-for-humanitys-future-in-space-heres-how-the-billionaires-goals-compare-/articleshow/69712110.cms">build habitats for humans </a>in space, which starts with building an outpost on the Moon. Bezos’ plan includes <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/watch-jeff-bezos-reveal-blue-origins-detailed-plan-for-colonizing-space/articleshow/69276063.cms">mining the Moon</a> for resources through an outpost, to build <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-elon-musk-space-x-have-more-in-common-than-just-being-bililonaires/articleshow/69278299.cms">large scale habitats</a> around it. It hence comes as no surprise that he is watching what Chandrayaan 2 can do for India and the world. If Chandrayaan 2 is able to find water or the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-why-indias-isro-is-going-to-the-moon/articleshow/69893150.cms">abundance of metals</a> under the Moon, it would boost Bezos plans to mine for resources. Bezos also unveiled Blue Origin’s plans to build its own lunar lander — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Jeff-Bezos-has-unveiled-an-enormous-Blue-Moon-lunar-lander-to-ferry-payloads-and-maybe-people-to-the-moons-surface-Heres-what-it-looks-like-and-how-itd-work-/articleshow/69262176.cms">the Blue Moon</a>. The <keyword id="89795" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Blue-moon">Blue Moon</keyword> is designed to be an ordinary lander either. The insect-like module plans to deploy multiple tiny satellites to place them in orbit around the Moon to collect data. Bezos did not disclose when he plans to launch the lander but stated that engine designs would begin this summer. Blue Origin is fairly secretive about what its upto. Bezos funnels nearly $1 billion into the company each year, normally by selling off Amazon stock. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/where-and-how-to-watch-chandrayaan-2s-moon-landing-live-tonight/articleshow/71005746.cms">Where and how to watch Chandrayaan 2’s Moon landing live tonight</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vikram-chandrayaan-2s-lander-as-it-lands-on-the-moon/articleshow/71008396.cms">Everything you need to know about Vikram, Chandrayaan 2's lander, as it lands on the Moon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-chandrayaan-2s-soft-landing-on-the-moon-will-be-the-15-most-terrifying-minutes-for-isro/articleshow/71011152.cms">Here's why Chandrayaan 2's soft landing on the Moon will be the '15 most terrifying minutes' for ISRO</a>

Jeff Bezos is rooting for India's Chandrayaan 2 to reach the Moon safe and sound

<ul><li><keyword id="414120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-2">Chandrayaan 2</keyword> may have successfully launched from Sriharikota today afternoon but the ISRO Chief, <keyword id="2003919" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="K-Sivan">K Sivan</keyword>, stated, "Our task is not over." </li><li>Over the next one and a half months, the Chandrayaan 2 team will have to conduct 15 maneuvers in space before landing on the Moon. </li><li>The last 15 minutes of the landing, in particular, are going to be tricky as India attempts its first soft landing on the lunar surface. </li></ul>India’s ‘Baahubali’ rocket has worked wonders by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isro-chandrayaan-2-india-moon-mission-launches-successfully-at-243-pm/articleshow/70328430.cms">successfully launching the Chandrayaan 2</a> satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. The rocket also took the satellite further than the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has expected. But, there is more to come. <keyword id="6448588" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro-chairman">ISRO Chairman</keyword>, K. Sivan, said, "Our task is not over," referring to the 48-day journey journey that still lies ahead of Chandrayaan 2, before it finally lands on the Moon. The mission faced a ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-chandrayaan-2-gets-delayed-for-a-seventh-time-isro-blames-technical-snag/articleshow/70220868.cms">technical snag</a>’ during the first attempt at launching the Chandrayaan 2 but "ÏSRO bounced back with flying colours," according to Sivan. "It’s the beginning of a historical journey of India towards Moon and to land at a place near South Pole to carry out scientific experiments. — to explore the unexplored," remarked Sivan. Closer to the Moon Sivan expressed his thanks to the Chandrayaan 2 team for burning oil over the past one and a half years to make the mission possible. The team also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-why-indias-isro-is-going-to-the-moon/articleshow/69893150.cms">indigenously developed</a> the lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyaan. He added that the real task only begins now for the team saying, "The satellite team will have to conduct 15 crucial maneuvers over the next one and a half months and finally bring the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-chandrayaan-2-is-landmark-moon-mission-for-india/articleshow/69842571.cms">Chandrayaan 2</a> around the Moon to place." Even after it reaches the Moon, landing will be the tricky. "Then D-Day will come and that day we’re going to experience 15 minutes of terror to ensure the landing is safely near South Pole," said Sivan. Celebrating ‘Baahubali’ The launch vehicle of a satellite has the crucial job to ensure that a mission crosses the threshold of Earth’s immediate orbit. For the Chandrayaan 2, India’s ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-most-powerful-launcher-will-carry-chandrayaan-2-on-moon-mission/articleshow/70202043.cms">Baahubali</a>’ rocket — the largest launch vehicle that the country has on hand — underwent a few modifications. "In this mission, the GSLV Mark III performance has been increased by 15%. Thereby, the GSLV Mark III now has a 4 tonne capacity as a part of its design," shared Sivan, marking a new achievement for India and for ‘Baahubali’. The extra 6000kms of orbit that the launch vehicle has given Chandrayaan 2 will allow the satellite to have more fuel for the maneuvers required to navigate closer to the Moon. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isro-chandrayaan-2-india-moon-mission-launches-successfully-at-243-pm/articleshow/70328430.cms">With the Chandrayaan 2 launch, India's historic Moon mission has taken off</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/isro-scientists-tweak-chandrayaan-2-countdown-to-avoid-the-number-13/articleshow/70324534.cms">ISRO scientists tweak Chandrayaan 2 countdown to avoid the number '13'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-why-indias-isro-is-going-to-the-moon/articleshow/69893150.cms">Chandrayaan 2 will give India bragging rights even if it doesn’t find water</a>

ISRO Chief K Sivan says Chandrayaan 2 "bounced back with flying colours" but that task is not over yet

<ul><li>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Sivan believes Chandrayaan 2’s soft landing on the Moon will be the ‘most terrifying’ 15 minutes for the agency. </li><li>Chandrayaan 2’s lander, Vikram, is going to be landing in uncharted territory between two craters. </li><li>Only 33% of all soft landing attempts on the Moon has been successful. </li><li>Israel was the most recent country to attempt a landing on the Moon but crashed into the lunar surface instead. </li></ul>Over the last two weeks, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-is-not-just-looking-for-water-on-the-moon/articleshow/70974829.cms">Chandrayaan 2</a> has been inching closer to the Moon. On 2 September 2019, the lander — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/everything-you-need-to-know-about-vikram-chandrayaan-2s-lander-as-it-lands-on-the-moon/articleshow/71008396.cms">Vikram</a> — detached itself from the orbiter to start heading towards the Moon’s South Pole. On 7 September 2019, Vikram will finally <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/where-and-how-to-watch-chandrayaan-2s-moon-landing-live-tonight/articleshow/71005746.cms">attempt to soft land on the lunar surface</a>. It will the southernmost landing on the Moon in human history. But, it won’t be easy. Here’s why Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Sivan believes that it will be the ‘most terrifying’ 15 minutes for the team on the ground: Chandrayaan 2 has to pull off a landing in uncharted territory 
	<div type="image" title="vikramlandingsite" msid="71011235" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Chandrayaan 2 landing site&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 No other country has ever been to this far south on the Moon before. The lunar <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-why-indias-isro-is-going-to-the-moon/articleshow/69893150.cms">South Pole</a>, unlike its northern counterpart, has an abundance of craters. The craters may hold the key to a lot of unanswered questions about the Moon but they also make for a treacherous landing site. The probability of obstacles getting in the way is much higher. Only 33% of attempted soft landing on the Moon have been successful 
	<div type="image" title="D05MhqlX0AAOouT" msid="71011308" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Israel‘s first attempt at landing an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon, Beresheet, ended in a hard landingafter an engine failure caused it to miss its descent window&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 There have been 38 attempts to land on the moon but only 33% of those have actually been successful. Israel was the most recent country to attempt a landing on the Moon but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/nasa-photographed-the-crash-site-of-israels-failed-moon-lander-and-its-not-pretty/articleshow/69346968.cms">crashed</a> into the lunar surface instead. SpaceIL is already working on its second attempt with Beresheet 2 spacecraft. Only three countries have ever successfully landed on the Moon 
	<div type="image" title="ezgif-2-750c2967006a_edited" msid="71011367" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;Image of the moon taken by China&amp;#39;s lunar rover on the far side of the Moon&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 US, Russia and China are the only countries to have successfully soft landed on the Moon so far. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chinas-lunar-rover-does-what-indias-chandrayaan-2-is-hoping-to-do-on-the-moons-south-pole/articleshow/70942638.cms">China’s milestone</a> was being the first country to land on the far side of the moon. If India is successful, it will join their league and be the first country to land near the Moon’s South Pole. Chandrayaan 2 has a back up plan 
	<div type="image" title="crater" msid="71011415" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Mazinus C crater near the Moon&amp;#39;s South Pole&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 Vikram, Chandrayaan’s lander, is planning to land in flat region between the Manzimus C and Simplelius N craters. The primary site for landing Vikram is 70.9 degrees south and 22.7 degrees east. In case the site is not optimal when the lander reaches, ISRO has a secondary landing site around 1.6 kilometers away — but it will only have mere seconds to rise and move over to the new spot. Nailing the landing 
	<div type="image" title="vikram4_edited" msid="71011449" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Chandrayaan 2&amp;#39;s lander needs to land perfectly in order to not tip over&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 Vikram has to be at an exact angle of 12 degrees as it descends onto the Moon. Anything less or more could result in Vikram rolling over as it touches down. If Vikram doesn’t stand in an upright position, it won’t be able to deploy its instruments or let Pragyaan, the rover, out to roam the Moon’s surface. Is the lander strong enough? 
	<div type="image" title="vikram" msid="71011469" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Vikram lander has been tested and approved to be fit enough for the mission&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 One of the reasons of Chandrayaan 2’s many delayed launched was injuries to Vikram’s legs during one of the tests. ISRO later confirmed that the lander was fit and had passed all the necessary tests and parameters for the mission. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-chandrayaan-2-is-landmark-moon-mission-for-india/articleshow/69842571.cms">India's second moon mission Chandrayaan 2 that will cost ₹10 billion will break new records</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-india-moon-mission-14-high-tech-instruments-to-look-for-water/articleshow/69867398.cms">India’s second mission to the moon will use these 14 high-tech instruments to look for water</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chandrayaan-2-puts-india-on-moon-south-pole-ahead-of-america-russia-china/articleshow/70212854.cms">India's Chandrayaan 2 takes the lead ahead of America, Russia, and China as the first of many missions to the Moon's South Pole</a>

You Searched For "Pragyaan rover" and got 13 results

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Investments made in space program have benefited society, says ISRO Chairman Dr S Somnath

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