At 06:22 Hrs October 22, 2008 Indian Standard Time (IST) the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C11, successfully launched the 1380 kg Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft into space. PSLV-C11 is the uprated version of ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in its standard configuration.
The mission is scheduled to last two years, prepare a three-dimensional atlas of the moon and prospect the lunar surface for natural resources. The 11 payloads (scientific instruments) carried by Chandrayaan-1 include five instruments designed and developed in India, three instruments from European Space Agency (one of which is developed jointly with India and the other with Indian contribution), one from Bulgaria and two from the United States.
The moon mission, in addition to demonstrating technological capacity, can potentially yield commercial gains for India’s space program. India’s ability to put satellites into orbit has already resulted in lucrative deals; for example, Israel has sent up a satellite by means of an Indian launcher.
Considering NASA's multi-billion dollar budget, this indigenous effort by ISRO achieved in the face of budget constraints deserves praise.
The mission is scheduled to last two years, prepare a three-dimensional atlas of the moon and prospect the lunar surface for natural resources. The 11 payloads (scientific instruments) carried by Chandrayaan-1 include five instruments designed and developed in India, three instruments from European Space Agency (one of which is developed jointly with India and the other with Indian contribution), one from Bulgaria and two from the United States.
The moon mission, in addition to demonstrating technological capacity, can potentially yield commercial gains for India’s space program. India’s ability to put satellites into orbit has already resulted in lucrative deals; for example, Israel has sent up a satellite by means of an Indian launcher.
Considering NASA's multi-billion dollar budget, this indigenous effort by ISRO achieved in the face of budget constraints deserves praise.
No comments:
Post a Comment