ISRO sets July 22 as new date for the launch of Chandrayaan-2

The launch of Chandrayaan 2 on July 15 was put off after a technical snag was observed one hour before the scheduled liftoff.

The Indian Space Research Organisation will attempt to launch India's lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 on July 22 after its launch earlier on July 15 had to be put off due to a technical snag. The launch has now been scheduled for 2:43 pm on July 22.

The launch on July 15 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre was put off after a technical snag was observed one hour before the scheduled liftoff. "As a measure of abundant precaution, #Chandrayaan2 launch has been called off for today. The revised launch date will be announced later," ISRO had announced.

Chandrayaan 2 mission is to be launched onboard heavy-lift rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle - Mark III (GSLV Mk III), nicknamed as 'Bahubali'. 

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.