Karnataka

Countdown begins for Chandrayan-1

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

The spacecraft launch pad at Sriharikota

SRIHARIKOTA: Amidst excitement as the date of Chandrayan 1 is nearing, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota is geared up for the unmanned moon mission.

Centre director M.C. Dadhan told visiting presspersons here on Tuesday that Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C11 carrying Chandrayan 1will be launched tentatively on October 22 between 6.20 a.m. and 6.35 a.m.

Meanwhile, the report on manned moon mission was ready and the Union Government had to approve the same.

An upgraded version of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) would be used as launch vehicle for which ISRO had already begun the preparation.

Mr. Dadhan said that the Satish Dhawan Centre would have to have the third launch pad specifically for the manned moon mission for which the approval was in the pipeline.

Attention had to be paid for the safety of astronauts and a special capsule with high safety standards had to be built, he said.

The project would take seven years for completion once approved by the Centre.

Mr. Dadhan said Chandrayan 1 would be significant as it was different from other missions of India.

The earlier missions comprised satellite orbiting in the earth, Chandrayan 1 would orbit the moon, he said.

Assembling and integration of PSLV-C11 launch vehicle which began on July 21 is near complete.

The satellite (Chandrayan 1) which reached Sriharikota from Bangalore on October 3 is undergoing various tests. After completion of the tests, it would be placed on the launch of PSLV-C11.

The mobile pedestals on which PSLV-C11 was being integrated would move with the satellite on a rail track to the launch pad, which had 70-metre tall umbilical tower for the final launch, he said.

Associate director M.Y.S. Prasad, deputy directors K. Subhash and Seshagiri Rao and general manager (safety) Krishnamurthy were present.

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