The Chandrayaan Programme is an Indian space exploration mission that aims to explore the Moon. It consists of a series of missions, with Chandrayaan-1 being the first successful one launched in 2008. The programme includes various scientific objectives such as mapping the lunar surface, studying the presence of water molecules, and conducting experiments to enhance our understanding of the Moon.
The first Indian lunar probe was named Chandrayaan 1. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched it in 2008, and it orbited the Moon successfully while gathering important information on its composition and surface. Chandrayaan 1 was a great success since it revealed important information about the existence of water molecules on the lunar surface, which was a significant advancement in our knowledge of the Moon. It also opened the path for future moon expeditions and showed off India’s space exploration potential.
The second lunar exploration project by the ISRO is called Chandrayaan 2. It was India’s first lander and rover mission to be launched. It was launched in 2019 with the intention of sending a rover to the south polar area of the moon, which has never been visited by other missions. However, the mission suffered a setback when the lander crashed while attempting to land after deviating from its intended trajectory.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)’s third lunar exploration mission is called Chandrayaan 3. Its goal is to softly and safely land a lander on the surface of the moon as a follow-up to the successful Chandrayaan 2 mission. Chandrayaan 3 is anticipated to advance India’s knowledge and comprehension of the lunar surface and open the door for further space exploration projects. Despite being a huge setback for ISRO, the lander accident during the previous mission offered insightful information and lessons for the following Chandrayaan 3 mission.
However, Chandrayaan 3 is not the last episode. It is the second phase of the Chandrayaan Program’s three phases. The next mission is Lunar Polar Exploration Mission also known as LUPEX which is planned to launch during 2026-2028. The conceptualization phase of the mission is currently in progress.