Moon slugfest

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

: fear that Beijing could gain technical secrets related to its arms industry.

Meanwhile, India’s lunar probe is on fast track as well. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) officials inform that Chandrayaan-I will be integrated with the launch rocket, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C11 (PSLV-C 11) and the lunar orbiter will begin its 50-hour pre-launch countdown on the night of October 19 this month. Being launched at a total cost of Rs 386 crore, Chandrayaan-I will carry 11 payloads, which would include those from the US, Sweden, Japan, Germany and Bulgaria.

The upgraded version of the launch rocket PSLV-C11 will have a lift-off weight of 316 tonne. It will be used to inject the 1,304-kg Chandrayaan-I into the orbit. Subsequently, the spacecraft’s own propulsion system will be used to position it in a 100-km polar orbit around the moon.

The main objective of Chandrayaan-I is investigation of the distribution of various minerals and chemical elements and high-resolution three-dimensional mapping of the entire lunar surface. Chandrayaan-I project chief M Annadurai informs that the mission is the first step towards a manned lunar mission. The technology used for the Chandrayan mission is 10 times better than other countries. Moreover, ISRO excels in remote sensing and imaging and hence the moon can be photographed from a close range of five metres from the ground, he adds.

The Chandrayaan mission aims to cover the entire moon and gather as much information as possible. Currently, Chandrayaan is going through crucial tests in Bangalore. Some of these include the vibration and acoustic tests. As part of this, the spacecraft will be subject to heavy vibration first and then the sound of four jet planes will be put together to check its endurance.

However, with just a few weeks to go, Chandrayan will not land on the moon due to technical difficulties. The spacecraft would hover around the moon, say ISRO officials working on the moon mission. ISRO has recently established a 32-metre diameter antenna near Bangalore to provide tracking and command support for Chandrayaan-I. The antenna and associated systems are the first steps in building the Indian Deep Space Network, which is vital for facilitating a two-way radio communication link between the spacecraft and the earth.