Another mission will be launched by a group of young engineers, called Team Indus which will be headed by IIT-Delhi alumnus Rahul Narayan. The mission is seen as part of a global contest that will help them win $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE.
New Delhi :
India is all set to make advancement in the lunar study with two new missions early next year as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its Chandrayaan-2 mission, which is an upgraded version of its previous 2018 mission that will aim towards a deeper understanding of lunar surface.
Another mission will be launched by a group of young engineers, called Team Indus which will be headed by IIT-Delhi alumnus Rahul Narayan. The mission is seen as part of a global contest that will help them win $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE. The competition demands movement of 500 meters on the moon’s surface by each team and also be able to fetch high-definition images back to Earth.
Team Indus is leaving no stone unturned to achieve its goal as it has managed to rope in investors like Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani and space experts such as former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan and many experienced old hands from the Indian space agency.
“Team Indus is pursuing a big hairy audacious goal. I invested in Team Indus as I believe in their audacious mission to reach and land on the moon”, Nandan Nilekani told TOI.
As confirmed by ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar, Team Indus will be using PSLV to carry its 600-kg spacecraft to the lunar orbit, while on the other hand, ISRO will use its heavy-lift rocket GSLV Mk II for the mission.
“Team Indus has signed an agreement with Antrix (Isro’s commercial arm) for using the launch service of PSLV.”
“Both the missions are scientifically and technically totally different. Even the instruments used in the two spacecraft will be different. There is no question of any comparison.” Kiran Kumar wished Team Indus “all the best for the mission,” Isro chairman said.
Apart from Team Indus, a US team (Moon Express), an Israeli team (SpaceIL) and an international team (Synergy Moon) have also procured launch contracts. A PSLV rocket will take Team Indus’ 600 kg spacecraft to the lunar orbit, while ISRO will use its GSLV Mk II rocket for the mission.
Dr K Sivan, director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, told TOI, “Unlike the 2008 Chandrayaan-1 mission when PSLV rocket was used for carrying the spacecraft, this time Isro is planning to take a heavier payload (combined launch mass: 3,250 kg) comprising orbiter, lander, and rover to the moon. Therefore, GSLV Mk II is the preferred choice.”
New Delhi :
India is all set to make advancement in the lunar study with two new missions early next year as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its Chandrayaan-2 mission, which is an upgraded version of its previous 2018 mission that will aim towards a deeper understanding of lunar surface.
Another mission will be launched by a group of young engineers, called Team Indus which will be headed by IIT-Delhi alumnus Rahul Narayan. The mission is seen as part of a global contest that will help them win $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE. The competition demands movement of 500 meters on the moon’s surface by each team and also be able to fetch high-definition images back to Earth.
Team Indus is leaving no stone unturned to achieve its goal as it has managed to rope in investors like Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani and space experts such as former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan and many experienced old hands from the Indian space agency.
“Team Indus is pursuing a big hairy audacious goal. I invested in Team Indus as I believe in their audacious mission to reach and land on the moon”, Nandan Nilekani told TOI.
As confirmed by ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar, Team Indus will be using PSLV to carry its 600-kg spacecraft to the lunar orbit, while on the other hand, ISRO will use its heavy-lift rocket GSLV Mk II for the mission.
“Team Indus has signed an agreement with Antrix (Isro’s commercial arm) for using the launch service of PSLV.”
“Both the missions are scientifically and technically totally different. Even the instruments used in the two spacecraft will be different. There is no question of any comparison.” Kiran Kumar wished Team Indus “all the best for the mission,” Isro chairman said.
Apart from Team Indus, a US team (Moon Express), an Israeli team (SpaceIL) and an international team (Synergy Moon) have also procured launch contracts. A PSLV rocket will take Team Indus’ 600 kg spacecraft to the lunar orbit, while ISRO will use its GSLV Mk II rocket for the mission.
Dr K Sivan, director of Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, told TOI, “Unlike the 2008 Chandrayaan-1 mission when PSLV rocket was used for carrying the spacecraft, this time Isro is planning to take a heavier payload (combined launch mass: 3,250 kg) comprising orbiter, lander, and rover to the moon. Therefore, GSLV Mk II is the preferred choice.”