Isro to bring moon to earth

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is building a replica of the surface of the moon in preparation for the country’s second lunar mission. Chandrayaan-2, to be launched in 2013, will comprise two robotic rovers to explore the lunar surface and also dig deeper.

The mock-up of the lunar surface is being set up at Isro's satellite centre, making use of the high resolution pictures clicked by the terrain mapping camera (TMC), one of the payloads on Chandrayaan-1. The model will be replete with moon dust, rocks and craters so that the Chandrayaan-2 rovers can be perfectly tested, according to TK Alex, the director of Isro’s satellite centre. The model, estimated to be completed by next October, will cost Rs10 crore to Rs15 crore.

While the specific task objectives of Chandrayaan-2 are to be finalised, the recent discovery of water by Chandrayaan-1 has led to a modification in the mission. “In our earlier discussions, in-situ exploration of water on the moon was not a major objective. But now it has become one,” said a senior scientist at Isro, who added that a drilling instrument may be part of the mission to look for water and other minerals.

“Also, in addition to a 20kg Russian rover, we have a 2kg mini-rover fitted with a camera. The rovers will cover around 50 metres every day and send experimental data to the orbiting spacecraft for over three months.”

He said the life of the rovers has been extended to six months or even one year from the earlier one month.

The mini-rover will be one of two indigenous rovers, but the second will remain at the satellite centre as a working scale replica of the first. “The second rover will operate on the lunar surface model to match the movements of the rover on the moon in near real time,” the scientist said.