Chandrayaan-2 (candra-yāna, transl.

 "mooncraft";[15][16] pronunciation (help·info)) is the

second lunar exploration mission developed by the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO),[17][18] after Chandrayaan-1.[19][20] It consists of a lunar orbiter,
the Vikram lander, and the Pragyan lunar rover, all of which were developed in India.[21] The main
scientific objective is to map the location and abundance of lunar water via Pragyan, and ongoing
analysis from the orbiter circling at a lunar polar orbit of 100 × 100 km. [22][23][24]
The mission was launched to the Moon from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space
Centre on 22 July 2019 at 2.43 PM IST (09:13 UTC) by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch
Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III).[9][10][25] The craft reached the Moon's orbit on 20 August 2019 and
began orbital positioning manoeuvres for the landing of the Vikram lander.[26] Vikram and the
rover were scheduled to land on the near side of the Moon, in the south polar region[27] at a
latitude of about 70° south at approximately 1:50 am on 7 September 2019 and conduct scientific
experiments for one lunar day, lasting two Earth weeks. However, the lander deviated from its
intended trajectory starting at 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) altitude,[28] and lost communication when
touchdown confirmation was expected.[29] Initial reports suggesting a crash[30][31] have been
confirmed by ISRO chairman K. Sivan, stating that the lander location had been found, and "it
must had been a hard landing".[32] The orbiter, part of the mission with eight scientific instruments,
remains operational and will continue its seven-year mission to study the Moon.

Contents

 1History
 2Objectives
 3Design
o 3.1Orbiter
o 3.2Vikram lander
o 3.3Pragyan rover
 4Payload
o 4.1Orbiter
o 4.2Vikram lander
o 4.3Pragyan rover
 5Mission profile
o 5.1Launch
o 5.2Geocentric phase
o 5.3Selenocentric phase
o 5.4Planned landing site
o 5.5Failed landing
 6Team
 7See also
 8References
 9External links

History[edit]
On 12 November 2007, representatives of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and
ISRO signed an agreement for the two agencies to work together on the Chandrayaan-2
project.[33] ISRO would have the prime responsibility for the orbiter and rover, while Roscosmos
was to provide the lander. The Indian government approved the mission in a meeting of
the Union Cabinet, held on 18 September 2008 and chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.[34] The design of the spacecraft was completed in August 2009, with scientists of both
countries conducting a joint review.[35][36]
Although ISRO finalised the payload for Chandrayaan-2 per schedule,[37] the mission was
postponed in January 2013[38] and rescheduled to 2016 because Russia was unable to develop
the lander on time.[39][40] Roscosmos later withdrew in wake of the failure of the Fobos-
Grunt mission to Mars, since the technical aspects connected with the Fobos-Grunt mission were
also used in the lunar projects, which needed to be reviewed.[39] When Russia cited its inability to
provide the lander even by 2015, India decided to develop the lunar mission independently.[38][41]
The spacecraft's launch had been scheduled for March 2018, but was first delayed to April and
then to October to conduct further tests on the vehicle.[42][43] On 19 June 2018, after the program's
fourth Comprehensive Technical Review meeting, a number of changes in configuration and
landing sequence were planned for implementation, pushing the launch to the first half of
2019.[44] Two of the lander's legs got minor damage during one of the tests in February 2019.[45]
Chandrayaan-2 launch was initially scheduled for 14 July 2019, 21:21 UTC (15 July 2019 at
02:51 IST local time), with the landing expected on 6 September 2019.[20] However, the launch
was aborted due to a technical glitch and was rescheduled.[46][8][47] The launch occurred on 22 July
2019 at 09:13 UTC (14:43 IST) on the first operational flight of a GSLV MK III M1.[48]

Objectives[edit]
The primary objectives of the Chandrayaan-2 lander were to demonstrate the ability to soft-
land on the lunar surface and operate a robotic rover on the surface. Scientific goals include
orbital studies of lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, the lunar exosphere, and
signatures of hydroxyl and water ice.[49] The orbiter will map the lunar surface and help to prepare
3D maps of it. The onboard radar will also map the surface while studying the water ice in
the south polar region and thickness of the lunar regolith on the surface.[50]

Design[edit]
The mission was launched on a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III)
with an approximate lift-off mass of 3,850 kg (8,490 lb) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on
Sriharikota Island.[3][13][10][51] As of June 2019, the mission has an allocated cost
of ₹978 crore (approximately US$141 million) which includes ₹603 crore for space segment
and ₹375 crore as launch costs on GSLV Mk III.[52][53] Chandrayaan-2 stack was initially put in an
Earth parking orbit of 170 km perigee and 40,400 km apogee by the launch vehicle.[54]

Orbiter[edit]

Chandrayaan-2 orbiter at integration facility

As of September 2019, orbiter is orbiting the Moon on a polar orbit at an altitude of 100 km
(62 mi).[55] The orbiter carries eight scientific instruments; two of them are improved versions of
those flown on Chandrayaan-1. The approximate launch mass was 2,379 kg
(5,245 lb).[4][5][37][56] The Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) will conduct high-resolution
observations of the landing site prior to separation of the lander from the orbiter.[55][2] The orbiter's
structure was manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and delivered to ISRO Satellite
Centre on 22 June 2015.[57][58]

 Dimensions: 3.2 × 5.8 × 2.2 m[24]

 Gross lift-off mass: 2,379 kg (5,245 lb)[3]
 Propellant mass: 1,697 kg (3,741 lb)[6]
 Dry mass: 682 kg (1,504 lb)[6]
 Power generation capacity: 1000 W [24]
 Mission duration: approximately 7.5 years, extended from the planned 1 year owing to the
precise launch and mission management, in lunar orbit.[1][59]
Vikram lander[edit]

Rover Pragyan mounted on the ramp of Vikram lander

Images of the Earth captured by Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander camera LI4[60]

The mission's lander is called Vikram (Sanskrit: विक्रम, lit. 'Valour[61]')

Pronunciation (help·info) named after Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971), who is widely regarded as
the founder of the Indian space programme.[62]
The Vikram lander detached from the orbiter and descended to a low lunar orbit of 30 km
× 100 km (19 mi × 62 mi) using its 800 N (180 lbf) liquid main engines. It then performed a
comprehensive check of all its on-board systems before attempting a soft landing that would
have deployed the rover, and perform scientific activities for approximately 14 Earth
days. Vikram spacecraft apparently crash-landed.[30][1] The lander's location has been spotted on
the surface via thermal imaging, but its condition is unknown.[32] The approximate combined mass
of the lander and rover is 1,471 kg (3,243 lb).[4][5]
The preliminary configuration study of the lander was completed in 2013 by the Space
Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad.[38] The lander's propulsion system consists of eight
50 N (11 lbf) thrusters for attitude control and five 800 N (180 lbf) liquid main engines derived
from ISRO's 440 N (99 lbf) Liquid Apogee Motor.[63][64] Initially, the lander design employed four
main liquid engines, but a centrally mounted engine was added to handle new requirements of
having to orbit the Moon before landing. The additional engine was expected to mitigate upward
draft of lunar dust during the soft landing.[51] Vikram was designed to safely land on slopes up to
12°.[65][66]
The first Moon image captured by Chandrayaan-2, taken at a height of about 2,650 km from the lunar
surface on 21 August 2019.

Some associated technologies include a high resolution camera, Laser Altimeter

(LASA),[67] Lander Hazard Detection Avoidance Camera (LHDAC), Lander Position Detection
Camera (LPDC),[68] Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC), an 800 N throttleable liquid main
engine,[57] attitude thrusters, Ka band radio altimeters (KaRA),[69][70] Laser Inertial Reference &
Accelerometer Package (LIRAP),[71] and the software needed to run these
components.[2][55] Engineering models of the lander began undergoing ground and aerial tests in
late October 2016, in Challakere in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka. ISRO created roughly
10 craters on the surface to help assess the ability of the lander's sensors to select a landing
site.[72]

 Dimensions: 2.54 × 2 × 1.2 m[24]

 Gross lift-off mass: 1,471 kg (3,243 lb)[3]
 Propellant mass: 845 kg (1,863 lb)[6]
 Dry mass: 626 kg (1,380 lb)[6]
 Power generation capability: 650 W
 Mission duration: ≤14 days (one lunar day)[2]
Pragyan rover[edit]
Main article: Pragyan (rover)

Pragyan rover of the Chandrayaan-2 mission

The mission's rover is called Pragyan (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञान, lit. 'Wisdom[73][74]')

Pronunciation (help·info))[75][73] The rover's mass is about 27 kg (60 lb) and will operate on solar
power.[4][5] The rover will move on 6 wheels traversing 500 meters on the lunar surface at the rate
of 1 cm per second, performing on-site chemical analysis and sending the data to the lander,
which will relay it to the Mission Control on the Earth.[76][77][37][56][52] For navigation, the rover uses:

 Stereoscopic camera-based 3D vision: two 1 megapixel, monochromatic NAVCAMs in front

of the rover will provide the ground control team a 3D view of the surrounding terrain, and
help in path-planning by generating a digital elevation model of the terrain.[78] IIT
 Kanpur contributed to the development of the subsystems for light-based map generation
and motion planning for the rover.[79]
 Control and motor dynamics: the rover has a rocker-bogie suspension system and six
wheels, each driven by independent brushless DC electric motors. Steering is accomplished
by differential speed of the wheels or skid steering.[80]
The expected operating time of Pragyan rover is one lunar day or around 14 Earth days as its
electronics are not expected to endure the frigid lunar night. However, its power system has a
solar-powered sleep/wake-up cycle implemented, which could result in longer service time than
planned.[81][82] Two aft wheels of the rover have the ISRO logo and the State Emblem of
India embossed on them to leave behind patterned tracks on the lunar surface,[83][84] which is used
to measure the exact distance travelled, also called visual odometry.[citation needed]

 Dimensions: 0.9 × 0.75 × 0.85 m[24]

 Power: 50 W [24]
 Travel speed: 1 cm/sec.[24]
 Mission duration: ≤14 days (one lunar day)

Payload[edit]

Mission Overview

ISRO selected eight scientific instruments for the orbiter, four for the lander,[85][3][86] and two for the
rover.[37] While it was initially reported that NASA and ESA would participate in the mission by
providing some scientific instruments for the orbiter,[87] ISRO in 2010 had clarified that due to
weight restrictions it will not be carrying foreign payloads on this mission.[88] However, in an
update just a month before launch,[89] an agreement between NASA and ISRO was signed to
include a small laser retroreflector from NASA to the lander's payload to measure the distance
between the satellites above and the microreflector on the lunar surface.[90][91]

Orbiter[edit]
Payloads on the orbiter are:[3][86][1]

 Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) from ISRO Satellite
Centre (ISAC), makes use of X-ray fluorescence spectra to determine the elemental
composition of the lunar surface.
 Solar X-ray monitor (XSM) from Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad for
mapping major elements present on the lunar surface.[37]
 Dual Frequency L and S band Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR) from Space Applications
Centre (SAC) for probing the first few meters of the lunar surface for the presence of different
constituents, including water ice. DFSAR is expected to provide further evidence confirming
the presence of water ice, and its distribution below the shadowed regions of the Moon.[37] It
has lunar surface penetration depth of 5 meters (L-band).[59][92]
 Imaging IR Spectrometer (IIRS) from Space Applications Centre (SAC) for mapping of lunar
surface over a wide wavelength range for the study of minerals, water molecules
and hydroxyl present.[37] It works up to 5 microns, an improvement over previous lunar
missions whose payloads worked up to 3 microns.[59]
 Chandrayaan-2 Atmospheric Compositional Explorer 2 (ChACE-2) Quadrupole Mass
Analyzer from Space Physics Laboratory (SPL) to carry out a detailed study of the lunar
exosphere.[37]
 Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2) from Space Applications Centre (SAC) for preparing a
three-dimensional map essential for studying the lunar mineralogy and geology.[37]
 Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere – Dual
Frequency Radio Science experiment (RAMBHA-DFRS) by SPL for the studying electron
density in the Lunar ionosphere.
 Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) by SAC for scouting a hazard-free spot prior to
landing. It will later help prepare high-resolution topographic maps and digital elevation
models of the lunar surface. OHRC has spatial resolution of 0.3 m from 100 km polar orbit.[86]
Vikram lander[edit]
The payloads on the Vikram lander are:[3][86]

 Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) MEMS based Seismometer by LEOS for
studying Moon-quakes near the landing site[85][13][93]
 Chandra's Surface Thermo-physical Experiment (ChaSTE) Thermal probe for estimating the
thermal properties of the lunar surface[13]
 RAMBHA-LP Langmuir probe for measuring the density and variation of lunar
surface plasma.[85][13]
 A laser retroreflector array (LRA) by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for taking precise
measurements of distance between the reflector on the lunar surface and satellites in lunar
orbit.[94][89][90] The micro-reflector weighs about 22 grams and can not be used for taking
observations from Earth-based lunar laser st