Chandrayaan-3 is likely to be launched in early 2021 instead of the second half of 2020 as suggested by the government. Union Minister Jitendra Singh made the announcement on Sunday while adding that India’s mission to Moon will include a rover and a lander but not an orbiter like its predecessor.
Following the hard landing of Chandrayaan-2 in September of last year, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had mentioned its plans of launching another mission to the moon by the end of 2020. However, the novel coronavirus pandemic has led to a delay in the launch of Chandrayaan-3.
Aimed at the Moon’s South Pole, Chandrayaan-2 was launched on July 22, 2019. The Vikram hard-landed on the lunar surface on September 7. Officials have confirmed that despite the setback, the orbiter is in working condition and is able to transmit data back to earth.Read more…
