The Chandrayaan programme, also known as the Indian Lunar Exploration Programme, is a series of missions by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to explore the Moon. This program includes various spacecraft such as a lunar orbiter, an impactor, a soft lander, and a rover. So far, there have been three missions. The first two orbiters were successful, but the lander and rover from the Chandrayaan-2 mission crashed on the Moon's surface. However, the Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed on the Moon on August 23, 2023, making India the first nation to land a spacecraft in the lunar south pole region and the fourth country to soft land on the Moon after the Soviet Union, the United States, and China.
India's space program started with no plans for advanced missions like sending humans to space or exploring other planets. It was only after ISRO developed satellites and launch vehicles like the PSLV that they considered a mission to the Moon. The idea for a lunar mission was first discussed in 1999 and then supported by the Astronautical Society of India in 2000. The robotic exploration missions are a step towards eventually sending Indian astronauts to the Moon. The robotic program will continue even after crewed missions to further explore the Moon.
- What does "Chandrayaan" mean in Sanskrit?
- Which organization is responsible for the Chandrayaan programme?
- How many missions have been launched under the Chandrayaan programme so far?
- Which mission included the first successful landing on the lunar south pole region?
- When did the Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully land on the Moon?
- How many orbiters were successful in the Chandrayaan programme?
- What happened to the lander and rover in the Chandrayaan-2 mission?
- In which year was the idea of a lunar scientific mission first raised?
- What are the future plans for the Chandrayaan programme in terms of crewed missions?
- Which countries had soft landed on the Moon before India?
Answers:
- "Moon Craft" or "Moon Vehicle"
- Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
- Three
- Chandrayaan-3
- August 23, 2023
- Two
- They crashed on the Moon's surface
- 1999
- The robotic exploration programme is intended as a precursor to Indian astronauts landing on the Moon, and the robotic programme is planned to continue beyond crewed landings.
- The Soviet Union, the United States, and China