5 things you didn’t know about Chandrayaan, other Moon missions

Subject :Science and technology

Section: Space technology

Chandrayaan-1:

Chandrayaan-1, India’s first mission to the Moon in 2008, was just an Orbiter.
When the spacecraft was being assembled, President A P J Abdul Kalam visited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) office and suggested that the spacecraft carry an instrument that could be made to fall on the Moon’s surface.
This Moon Impact Probe hit the lunar surface, and became the first Indian object on the Moon.

Chandrayaan-2 lander was to come from Russia:

Earlier India was supposed to collaborate with Russia for Chandrayaan-2.
India was to provide rocket and Orbiter, and Russia was supposed to provide Lander and Rover.
Due to technical challenges, Russia has to withdraw from the collaboration.
ISRO went in for indigenous development of the lander and rover.
Chandrayaan-2 could fly only in 2019.

India’s next Moon mission is not called Chandrayaan:

India has not yet announced follow-up missions to Chandrayaan-3.
While there would obviously be a Chandrayaan-4, 5, 6 or more, India will send another Moon mission in collaboration with Japan.
It is called LUPEX. The mission is likely to be launched in the 2024-25 timeframe.

Europe withdrew from Russia’s Luna-25 due to Ukraine war:

The European Space Agency was supposed to provide a navigation camera and an optical navigation system to the Luna 25.
ESA will also have to help Russia in development of Luna 26 and Luna 27, by providing Robotics equipment.
The science and technology objectives that Europe planned to fulfill through these missions will now be fulfilled through collaboration with NASA.

Japan, Israel landing bids were by private companies

Over the last decade, five countries have attempted to land on the Moon — China, Israel, India, Japan, and Russia.
Only China has succeeded so far.
The Moon missions from Israel and Japan, Beresheet and Hakuto-R respectively, were sent by private companies.
Till date, these remain the only attempts by private space agencies to land on the Moon.
Later this month, Japan’s space agency JAXA is readying to send its first Moon landing mission called SLIM, or Smart Lander for Investigating Moon.