Chandrayan

Chandrayan- 2
India is aiming to be the fourth country to land on the lunar surface after the USA,
Russia and China. This mission, called Chandrayaan 2, has three important
components — the Orbiter, the Lander Vikram and Rover Pragyan. The Orbiter and the
Lander will be tucked into the GSLV Mk-III rocket, which will essentially hurl them at the
moon. Very precisely and scientifically of course.
After the rocket reaches space, the fairing i.e. the uppermost portion of the rocket,
separates and releases its payload. The orbiter-lander module will conduct a series of
five complex manoeuvres around the Earth to build up momentum and slingshot itself
closer to the moon. When the duo are captured by the moon’s orbit, the lander will
detach itself from the orbiter to make a soft landing on the moon and will then release
the rover onto the lunar surface.
The orbiter will continue to orbit the Moon for a year, all while scanning and mapping the
surface.
The orbiter has eight instruments fitted into it and seven of them are India’s. NASA has
one payload onboard called the Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) that will last for much
longer than the Chandrayaan 2 mission.
Two of the instruments are similar to those on Chandrayaan 1 – the Terrain Mapping
Camera-2 (TMC-2) and the Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini SAR). The Mini
SAR instrument on Chandrayaan 1 was developed by NASA and it worked in only S-
band frequencies with Hybrid Polarimetry. However, the dual-frequency SAR instrument
developed by India can simultaneously map the surface in both L- & S-band frequencies
with full polarimetric capabilities (the ability to study the optical activity exhibited by
inorganic and organic compounds). The TMC-2 will map the lunar surface and help to
prepare 3D maps of it. The SAR will also map the surface while studying the water-ice
in the South Pole and thickness of the lunar dust on the surface.
The Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) will study the density of the electrons in the
moon’s ionosphere i.e. the uppermost part of the atmosphere that is ionized by
radiation. An imaging IR Spectrometer will try to identify minerals and indicators of
hydroxyl and water molecules.
The orbiter has a high-resolution camera (OHRC) that ensures that the lander makes a
safe touchdown on the lunar surface by taking 3D images of the landing site. These
images serve a dual purpose as they will be used to study the surface as well.
Fig 1. The orbiter
The Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM) measures the intensity of the solar rays and the outer
most part of the atmosphere or its corona. CLASS or the Chandrayaan 2 Large Area
Soft X-ray Spectrometer measures the light absorbed by the Moon and will check for
different metals that are present in its spectrum.
The orbiter has one more important task, which is to communicate the findings of the
rover. However, the rover is not directly linked to the orbiter and will transmit the
findings via the lander. The orbiter will circle the Moon at an altitude of 100 kilometres.
About Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

Mark III
Function Medium-lift launch vehicle[1]
Manufacturer Indian Space Research Organisation
Country of origin India
Cost per launch ₹375 crore [2][3][4] (US$54.2 million) (2019)
Size
Height 43.4 m (142 ft)[5][1]
Diameter 4 m (13 ft)[5]
Mass 640,000 kg (1,410,000 lb)[1]
Stages 3[1]
Capacity
Payload 10,000 kg (22,000 lb)[6]

to LEO (600km)
Payload to GTO 4,000 kg (8,800 lb)[1]
Associated rockets
Family Geosynchronous Satellite Launch
Vehicle
 Angara
Comparable
 Ariane 5
 Falcon 9
 H-IIA
 Long March 3B
 Long March 7
 Titan IIIC
 Zenit rocket
Launch history
Status Active
Launch sites Satish Dhawan Space
Centre SLP, Andhra Pradesh, India
Total launches 4
Successes 4
Failures 0
First flight  18 December 2014 (suborbital)
 5 June 2017 (orbital)
Last flight 22 July 2019
Notable payloads CARE, Chandrayaan-2
First stage – S200 Boosters
Length 25 m (82 ft)[1]
Diameter 3.2 m (10 ft)[1]
Empty mass 31,000 kg (68,000 lb) each[7]
Gross mass 236,000 kg (520,000 lb) each[7]
Propellant mass 205,000 kg (452,000 lb) each[7]
Motor Solid S200
Thrust 5,150 kN (525 tf) each[8][9][10]
Specific impulse 274.5 (vacuum)[7]
Burn time 128 sec[7]
Fuel HTPB[7]
Second stage – L110
Length 21.39 m (70.2 ft)[11]

Diameter 4.0 m (13.1 ft)[7]
Empty mass 9,000 kg (20,000 lb)[11]
Gross mass 125,000 kg (276,000 lb)[11]
Propellant mass 116,000 kg (256,000 lb)[11]
Engines 2 Vikas engines
Thrust 1,598 kN (163.0 tf)[7][12][13]
Specific impulse 293 sec[7]
Fuel UDMH / N
2O
Third stage – C25
Length 13.545 m (44.44 ft)[7]
Diameter 4.0 m (13.1 ft)[7]
Empty mass 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)[11]
Gross mass 33,000 kg (73,000 lb)[11]
Propellant mass 28,000 kg (62,000 lb)[7]
Engines 1 CE-20
Thrust 200 kN (20 tf)[7]
Specific impulse 443 sec
Fuel LOX / LH2

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Chandrayan- 2

About Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

Manufacturer Indian Space Research Organisation

Country of origin India

Cost per launch ₹375 crore [2][3][4] (US$54.2 million) (2019)

Height 43.4 m (142 ft)[5][1]

Diameter 4 m (13 ft)[5]

Mass 640,000 kg (1,410,000 lb)[1]

Payload 10,000 kg (22,000 lb)[6]

Payload to GTO 4,000 kg (8,800 lb)[1]

Family Geosynchronous Satellite Launch

Launch sites Satish Dhawan Space

Centre SLP, Andhra Pradesh, India

First flight  18 December 2014 (suborbital)

 5 June 2017 (orbital)

Last flight 22 July 2019

Notable payloads CARE, Chandrayaan-2

First stage – S200 Boosters

Length 25 m (82 ft)[1]

Diameter 3.2 m (10 ft)[1]

Empty mass 31,000 kg (68,000 lb) each[7]

Gross mass 236,000 kg (520,000 lb) each[7]

Propellant mass 205,000 kg (452,000 lb) each[7]

Motor Solid S200

Thrust 5,150 kN (525 tf) each[8][9][10]

Specific impulse 274.5 (vacuum)[7]

Burn time 128 sec[7]

Second stage – L110

Length 21.39 m (70.2 ft)[11]

Empty mass 9,000 kg (20,000 lb)[11]

Gross mass 125,000 kg (276,000 lb)[11]

Propellant mass 116,000 kg (256,000 lb)[11]

Engines 2 Vikas engines

Thrust 1,598 kN (163.0 tf)[7][12][13]

Specific impulse 293 sec[7]

Burn time 203 sec[11]

Third stage – C25

Length 13.545 m (44.44 ft)[7]

Diameter 4.0 m (13.1 ft)[7]

Empty mass 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)[11]

Gross mass 33,000 kg (73,000 lb)[11]

Propellant mass 28,000 kg (62,000 lb)[7]

Thrust 200 kN (20 tf)[7]

Specific impulse 443 sec

Burn time 643 sec[7]

Fuel LOX / LH2

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