India set to launch second lunar mission; land rover on the moon
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-exploration-india-moon-idUSKCN1TD18L?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_content=5d00ef44fe86c30001b47e3c&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
BENGALURU (Reuters) - India said on Wednesday it will launch its second lunar mission in mid-July, as it moves to consolidate its status as a leader in space technology by achieving a controlled landing on the moon.
The mission, if successful, would make India only the fourth country behind the United States, Russia and China to perform a soft landing on the moon and put a rover on it. China successfully landed a lunar rover in January.
The unmanned mission, called Chandrayaan-2, which means moon vehicle in Sanskrit, will involve an orbiter, a lander and a rover, which have been built by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
The mission is scheduled to launch on July 15 aboard ISROs Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III. It will cost about 10 billion rupees ($144 million), ISRO said.
After a journey of more than 50 days, ISROs lander will attempt a soft, controlled landing on the lunar surface on around Sept. 6.
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Hell, might as well visit Mars via the Moon-Mars Expressway!