Indian space agency ISRO to launch two moon missions by 2018
New Delhi : ISRO's two moon missions by early 2018
Indian space agency ISRO has set a new agenda under which it will be launching nothing less than two moon missions by early 2018 to ensure better lunar study.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be launching its Chandrayaan-2 mission, an upgraded version of its previous mission.
Another moon mission will be launched by a set of young engineers, famous as Team Indus. The mission will be part of a global contest that will help them win $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE.
“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 using PSLV to carry its 600-kg spacecraft to the lunar orbit, while on the other hand ISRO will use its heavylift rocket GSLV Mk II for the mission.
Apart from Team Indus, a US team (Moon Express), an Israeli team (SpaceIL) and an international team (Synergy Moon) have also procured launch contracts.
