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Chandrayaan-2 mission’s initial data released: ISRO

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Science & Technology
  • Published
    26th Dec, 2020

Context

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released the first set of data from the country’s second mission to the Moon, the Chandrayaan-2, for the general public.

What is Chandrayaan-2 Mission?


  • Chandrayaan-2 mission is a highly complex mission, which represents a significant technological leap compared to the previous missions of ISRO.
  • It was launched in 2019 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
  • The Chandrayaan-2 mission was India’s first attempt to land on the lunar surface.
  • It comprised an Orbiter, Lander and Rover to explore the unexplored South Pole of the Moon.
  • Its orbiter, which is still in the lunar orbit, has a mission life of seven years.
  • The mission is designed to expand the lunar scientific knowledge through detailed study of topography, seismography, mineral identification and distribution, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics of top soil and composition of the tenuous lunar atmosphere, leading to a new understanding of the origin and evolution of the Moon.

What is in the released data and how is it significant?

  • The Orbiter carries eight experiments to address many open questions on lunar science.
  • The Indian Space Science Data Centre (ISSDC) is the nodal centre of planetary data archive for the planetary missions of ISRO.
  • The Chandrayaan-2 data is required to be in the Planetary Data System-4 (PDS4) standard.
  • It is required to be peer reviewed scientifically and technically before acceptance as PDS archives and declared ready for sharing with the global scientific community and the general public.
  • It will help in enriching our understanding of the moon’s evolution and mapping of the minerals and water molecules in Polar region.

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