20-hour countdown for Chandrayaan-2 underway, launch at 2:43 PM on Monday

CHENNAI: The 20-hour countdown for the launch of the Chandrayaan-2 began at 6.43 PM on Sunday.

The country's ambitious lunar mission is scheduled to be launched at 2:43 PM on Monday.

#ISROMissions
The launch countdown of #GSLVMkIII-M1/#Chandrayaan2 commenced today at 1843 Hrs IST. The launch is scheduled at 1443 Hrs IST on July 22nd.
More updates to follow... pic.twitter.com/WVghixIca6 — ISRO (@isro) July 21, 2019

"All preparatory work for Chandrayaan-2 launch has been completed. Technical snags that developed in the first attempt have been rectified. Today evening, the countdown for the launch will begin. Chandrayaan-2 will perform 15 crucial manoeuvres in days to come," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chief K Sivan had said earlier on Sunday. 

Earlier on Saturday, the ISRO successfully completed the launch rehearsal of the Chandrayaan-2 mission.

"Launch rehearsal of #GSLVMkIII-M1 / #Chandrayaan2 mission completed, performance normal #ISRO," ISRO said in a tweet. 

Launch rehearsal of #GSLVMkIII-M1 / #Chandrayaan2 mission completed, performance normal#ISRO — ISRO (@isro) July 20, 2019

During the countdown, the rocket and spacecraft's systems will undergo checks and fuel will be filled to power the rocket engines.

This is the second attempt to launch the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft onboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle - Mark III (GSLV Mk III). It was earlier scheduled to take off on July 15 but was postponed due to a technical snag one hour prior to the rocket lift-off. 

Chandrayaan 2 is ready to take a billion dreams to the Moon — now stronger than ever before! Join us for the launch on Monday — 22 July, 2019 — at 2:43 PM IST.
#Chandrayaan2 #GSLVMkIII #ISRO pic.twitter.com/4ybFcHNkq6 — ISRO (@isro) July 18, 2019

Chandrayaan 2, the most ambitious lunar mission of the country, will explore the parts of Moon which have never been explored in the past - the south polar region. According to eminent space scientists, Chandrayaan 2 is a mission which has been described as one of the most complex ever undertaken by ISRO. 

The main objective of the latest Moon mission is to carry out various experiments to understand the extent and significance of the presence of water on the celestial body as confirmed by the Chandrayaan 1 mission. This is also for the first time that India is trying to land a robotic rover on Moon.

According to ISRO Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan, the landing site, at a latitude of about 70 degrees south, is the southernmost for any mission till date. The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover together referred to as "composite body".

It will be the first Indian expedition to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface. This mission will make India the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to carry out a soft landing on Moon.