The Hindu : National : Chandrayaan-2 launch by 2013

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 05, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Chandrayaan-2 launch by 2013

Ananya Dutta

Plans for Mars mission in a year

KOLKATA: The biggest impediment to the launch of Chandrayaan-2 is ensuring a soft landing for the rover on the moon, which is a crucial part of the mission, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G. Madhavan Nair said here on Saturday.

Speaking to journalists after receiving the M.P. Birla Memorial Award, Mr. Nair explained that since the moon’s gravitation was less than that of the earth, the ISRO would have to build technology for managing the impact of the landing. “We will be able to land the rover on the moon by 2013,” he said.

Mr. Nair delivered a lecture on “Indian scientific explorations in space” at the event in which he listed the achievements of the ISRO. He said Chandrayaan-1, India’s first mission to the moon launched in October 2008, was perhaps the most important accomplishment of the organisation.

Future projects

He spoke about future projects, including India’s Mars mission, asteroid explorations and Aditya-1, India’s first space-based solar coronagraph.

On climate change, Mr. Nair said that while the primary responsibility was with the India Meteorological Department, the ISRO was planning to launch a geo-stationary satellite in two to three years to specifically map changing monsoon patterns and cloud shifts.

Asked about India’s human space programme, he said: “Our priority today is national development programmes, but we may be able to have a manned mission on an orbit around the earth by 2015.”

As far as a Mars mission was concerned, the organisation would finalise plans within a year, as they were on the lookout for good scientific plans.

He said the ISRO revenue was expected to increase by 25 per cent in the coming year because of increased usage of satellite services by telecom and Direct to Home (DTH) television operators. The organisation was also expecting earnings from launching satellites for other countries through the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

Mr. Nair was appreciative of the efforts of the M.P. Birla Institute of Fundamental Research in attracting young people towards the pure sciences. There was a need for young students to take up pure sciences and conduct research, he said adding that he hoped the ISRO’s ambitious plans would draw young minds towards space research.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National