ISRO to deploy rover on lunar surface through Chandrayaan-2

Pixabay photo (Representational image)

New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to deploy a rover on the lunar surface through the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The instruments on Rover will conduct an in-situ analysis of elements such as  Na,  Mg, Al, Si, etc; in the vicinity of the landing site. Mining and extracting Helium-3 deposits is not planned. Total approved cost of the Chandrayaan-2 Mission is Rs.603.00 crores.

This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Here's all you need to know about Chandrayaan:

* According to ISRO, Chandrayaan 2 is a completely indigenous mission which would comprise of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover. 

* After reaching the 100 kilometer lunar orbit, informs ISRO, the Lander housing the Rover will separate from the Orbiter. Following a controlled descent, the Lander will soft land on the moon at a specified time and then deploy the six-wheeled Rover. This Rover will then move around the landing site in a semi-autonomous state. Information on the lunar surface would be sent back for analysis of the soil here.

* Weighing around 3920 kilos, Chandrayaan 2 would orbit the moon collecting data on lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, lunar exposure, etc.

* ISRO chairman Dr K Sivan has informed that the total cost of the mission would be about Rs 800 crore. This includes Rs 200 crore as the cost of launching and Rs 600 crore for the satellite. Dr Sivan has further said that this is still half the cost than what would be incurred if a foreign launching site is used.

* The mission is planned for in second half of 2018.