India’s 142-million-dollar Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission is set to land in a previously unexplored region of the lunar surface, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The landing module Vikram, which carries a rover, is scheduled to land in the South Pole region of the Moon between 1:30 am and 2:30 am Indian time on Saturday (2000-2100 GMT on Friday), ISRO said.
“The moment 1.3 billion Indians were enthusiastically waiting for is here!” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will witness the landing with 60 high school students.
“In a few hours from now, the final descent of Chandrayaan-2 will take place on the Lunar South Pole.
“India, and the rest of the world, will yet again see the exemplary prowess of our space scientists.”
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The rover Pragyan, along with the lander, will carry out experiments over the next 14 days sending back images to Earth which the ISRO says will add to scientific knowledge about the Moon’s surface, exosphere and the presence of water.
The unmanned mission Chandrayaan-2 – which means “Moon vehicle” in Sanskrit – was launched from the Sriharikota spaceport in southern India on July 22 on a locally-built rocket.
Over the next 46 days the spacecraft first orbited the Earth, then made a 384,000-kilometre jump into an orbit of the Moon followed by a set of manoeuvres taking it closer to the lunar surface.
The landing module separated successfully from the orbiter on Monday.
ISRO Chairman K Sivan has said the 15 minute landing manoeuvre would be the toughest task the organisation has undertaken on a mission and “the most terrifying moments” for ISRO scientists.
India’s first Moon mission Chandrayaan-1 orbited the Moon in 2008 and confirmed the presence of water.
If India manages a successful Moon landing it will become the fourth country to do so after the U.S., Russia and China. (NAN)