Chandrayaan-3 has successfully landed on the moon. Recently there was news of Chandrayaan-2's orbiter being in contact with Chandrayaan-3. But you have thought what happened to Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2? Is it still active? Let us know all the things in this article.
Recently, the Luna-25 crash of Russia reminded of India's Chandrayaan-2. As sad as the news of the crash of Chandrayaan-2 was, we are equally happy with the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3. So let's talk about Chandrayaan-1 first.
Launched on October 22, 2008, Chandrayaan-1 went towards the moon with many dreams of India and ISRO on its shoulders. It was an orbital mission, that is, its job was only to orbit the moon. This mission is counted among the most successful missions sent to the moon because it also discovered water for the first time on the moon. The 11 machines involved in this were developed in India, America, Britain, Germany, Sweden, and Bulgaria.
Chandrayaan-1 discovered water molecules ie water on the surface of the moon. Since this discovery, the possibilities of future life on the moon have increased further. This is the reason, India started preparations for Chandrayaan-2, a rover mission to explore the lunar surface. Many high-resolution pictures of the moon were received by ISRO through this mission. About 11 years after the Chandrayaan-1 launch, India launched Chandrayaan-2.
Chandrayaan 2 is India's second Moon exploration mission, which aims to build on the success of Chandrayaan 1. It was launched on 22 July 2019 using the GSLV Mk III-M1 launch vehicle. The mission had three components: the orbiter, the lander named Vikram, and the rover named Pragyan.
The orbiter, along with a set of scientific instruments, successfully entered the Moon's orbit and has been studying the Moon from above. It has provided high-resolution images of the lunar surface and valuable data on the lunar outer atmosphere.
However, the lander Vikram, carrying the rover Pragyan, encounters a problem while observing the lunar surface. On 6 September 2019, in the final stages of landing, the lander lost communication communication and crash-landed on the Moon. As a result, the rover Pragyan was not likely to be deployed and operated on the lunar surface.
So despite the trouble with the lander, Chandrayaan 2's orbiter is working successfully, sending back valuable data and images. It is significant that the lander and rover components of the mission did not achieve their intended goals, but the orbiter's success and ongoing data have aided in the understanding of the Moon and its surrounding environment.
Is Chandrayaan 1 still active?; No, currently Chandrayaan 1 is not active. The mission operated successfully in lunar orbit until August 2009, when a technical glitch caused a loss of communication with the spacecraft. Since then, ISRO has not been able to restore communication with Chandrayaan 1, and the spacecraft's mission is considered over. Despite the communication loss, Chandrayaan 1 during its competitive tenure provided valuable data and made important scientific discoveries, including the identification of water molecules on the lunar surface.
Is Chandrayaan-2 still active?; According to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the lunar orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 is still operational and is expected to work for 7.5 years. The orbiter is remotely collecting scientific data from the Moon's surface and atmosphere. However, the lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan) components of Chandrayaan-2 did not achieve their intended targets due to the landing mishap in September 2019. The lander named Vikram, which was supposed to land on the lunar surface, crashed after entering the lunar orbit due to a last-minute glitch in the landing guidance software.
Also Read: What happens if someone dies in space? what will happen to the body
What is Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2?▼
Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 are two lunar exploration missions conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Chandrayaan 1 was India's first lunar probe launched in 2008, and Chandrayaan 2 was its second lunar mission launched in 2019.
What were the objectives of the Chandrayaan missions?▼
Chandrayaan 1 aimed to explore the Moon's surface, study its mineral composition, and search for water molecules on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan 2 aimed to further explore the Moon, with an orbiter, lander, and rover, to study its surface, mineral composition, and exosphere.
Is Chandrayaan 1 still active?▼
No, Chandrayaan 1 is not active. The mission concluded in 2009 when communication was lost.
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