What is Chandrayaan I?

Chandrayaan 1 is the first lunar probe of India launched by Indian Space Research Organization in October 2008. It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The unmanned spacecraft weighed about 1380 kgs with 11 payloads made in India, UK, USA, Germany, Bulgaria and Sweden. The aim of the mission was to study the lunar surface by orbiting the Moon at a height of 100kms from its surface.

The mission was a major accomplishment of Indian Space program as the entire technology was made indigenously. The primary objectives were:

• Carrying out many experiments using scientific instruments on the spacecraft
• Preparation of 3D Atlas of both near and far sides of the Moon
• Provision of high-resolution chemical and mineral imagery of the lunar surface
• Observation of X-ray spectrum to gather information of the lunar volatiles
• Detection of water on lunar surface