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Chandrayaan-1


The coming era in space exploration is proving to be one with increased interest in the Moon, with missions from ESA, China, Japan, India, and NASA. Perhaps the most international and most ambitious of these efforts is the Chandrayaan mission, launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Chandrayaan-1 (literally "Moon" + "Craft" in Hindi, together meaning "trip to the moon") is India's first mission to the Moon. The ISRO, founded in 1969, launched its first satellite in 1975 but has not yet sent a satellite beyond Earth's orbit.

The goals of this mission are both to expand ISRO's capabilities and to help resolve longstanding questions about the Moon's history. Chandrayaan-1 will deploy a powerful suite of instruments to map the lunar surface and search for the presence of radioactive isotopes, which will help researchers determine the origins of the Moon. The mission will also build up ISRO's ground support systems, communications systems, and data reception and interpretation systems, as well as increase India's technical and scientific capabilities.

Chandrayaan-1 Facts
Launch date: planned for July 2008
Nominal mission: two years