Chandrayaan-1
was the first Indian lunar probe, launched on October 22, 2008. It was the first mission to successfully orbit the moon and return data about its surface. Chandrayaan-1 carried 11 instruments to study the moon's surface, composition, and gravity field. The mission's key findings included the discovery of water ice in the lunar polar regions, the presence of organic compounds on the surface, and evidence of volcanic activity.
Chandrayaan-2
was the second Indian lunar probe, launched on July 22, 2019. It was the first mission to attempt a soft landing on the moon's south pole. Chandrayaan-2 carried an orbiter, lander, and rover. The orbiter successfully entered lunar orbit, but the lander, Vikram, crashed during its final descent. The rover, Pragyan, was successfully deployed from the lander, but it was unable to travel far due to the crash.
Chandrayaan-3
was the third Indian lunar probe, launched on July 14, 2023. It was a follow-up to Chandrayaan-2, and its goal was to achieve a successful soft landing on the moon's south pole. Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the moon on August 23, 2023. The lander, Vikram-3, and rover, Pragyan-2, are currently exploring the lunar surface.
|
Mission |
Launch date |
Landing date |
Landing success |
|
Chandrayaan-1 |
October 22, 2008 |
November 14, 2008 |
Yes |
|
Chandrayaan-2 |
July 22, 2019 |
September 7, 2019 |
No |
|
Chandrayaan-3 |
July 14, 2023 |
August 23, 2023 |
Yes |
The Chandrayaan missions have made significant contributions to our understanding of the moon. They have helped us to better understand the moon's surface, composition, and history. The missions have also demonstrated India's growing capabilities in space exploration.