ISRO released the schedule for Chandrayaan-2, stating that the spacecraft’s manoeuvres are expected to be executed from Wednesday, 24 July. It added that the spacecraft will likely reach the moon by 20 August this year.
Earlier, on Monday, 22 July, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched India’s second moon mission, Chandrayaan-2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota. The mission, onboard the GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle, was successfully injected into the Earth’s orbit soon after the launch.
People from across India and the world, from different fields - from PM Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Virat Kohli, even NASA, the premier space agency of the United Sates congratulated ISRO for the historic feat.
Chandrayaan-2 was launched at 2:43 pm from the second launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, a week after the initial lift-off was aborted due to a technical snag.
ISRO plans to land the Vikram lander on the moon by the 48th day of the mission.
- India’s 2nd Moon mission, Chandrayaan-2 was successfully launched from Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota
- The mission was injected into the Earth orbit, about an hour after the launch
- The mission was aborted on 15 July due to a “technical snag” in the GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle
- Chandrayaan-2 will attempt a soft landing of the Vikram lander on the south pole of the moon
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Chandrayaan-2's Earth Bound Maneuvers to Be Executed From Today
World Media Hails India's Great Leap Forward
The launch of Chandrayaan-2 comes at the heels of the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11, when man first landed on the moon, The Washington Post commented.
India has also announced its intention of sending a manned space mission by 2022, the leading American newspaper recalled.
Quoting experts, the Post said the successful second attempt so soon after the aborted launch highlights ISRO's confidence in its technological capabilities, which have not been hamstrung by its paltry USD 1.8 billion budget. In comparison, NASA received USD 21.5 billion in funds this year, the Post noted.
"If the rest of the mission goes as well, India will become the fourth nation — after the United States, Russia and China — to land on the moon, more than 200,000 miles away. Its target is a region near the mysterious south pole, where no other missions have explored," The New York Times commented.
"This would be a huge leap forward for India's ambitious space programme, and scientists and defence experts everywhere are watching to see whether the country can pull it off," it said.
Leading British newspaper, The Guardian reported that Chandrayaan-2 aims to become the first mission to conduct a surface landing on the lunar south pole region, where it will collect crucial information about the moon's composition.
It would be India's first surface landing on the moon – a feat previously achieved by only Russia, the US and China, the paper noted.
NASA Congratulates ISRO on Successful Chandrayaan-2 Launch
NASA on Monday congratulated its Indian counterpart ISRO on the successful launch of its second moon mission Chandrayaan-2 and said it was looking forward to know what the Indian space agency learns about the lunar south pole.
"Congrats to ISRO on the launch of Chandrayaan 2, a mission to study the Moon. We're proud to support your mission comms using our Deep Space Network and look forward to what you learn about the lunar South pole where we will send astronauts on our #Artemis mission in a few years," NASA tweeted.
Parliament Congratulates Scientists on Chandrayaan-2 Launch
Parliament on Monday congratulated ISRO scientists for the successful launch of Chandrayaan-2, saying the achievement represents a golden chapter in the country's history.
Informing members about the launch, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the country has shown its space prowess with the mission.
"This House congratulates the scientists of ISRO for their efforts... I congratulate the Indian scientists and the efforts of the Prime Minister," he said in Lok Sabha.
In Rajya Sabha, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the scientists deserve special compliments for the indigenous effort.
"This is the most powerful Indian rocket to date. The Vehicle as well as Chandrayaan-2 are fully designed and fabricated in India. Therefore, our scientists deserve special compliments," he said, amid thumping of benches by members.
"This development represents a golden chapter in the history of not only the development of science and technology in India but also of the country itself," the Naidu further said.