Chandrayaan 3: Second attempt to land on Moon by November 2020

India's historic mission to land on the Moon went awry on 7 September but the determination to try again is still strong. Just after two months of an unsuccessful bid, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) may attempt another soft landing on the Moon by next year-end, probably in November. 

As per the news agencies, ISRO has asked the committee headed by S Somanath, Director of Thiruvanathapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, to prepare a report on the proposed Chandrayaan-3.

"The panel's report is awaited. The committee has been given a guideline to prepare the mission before the end of next year," a senior ISRO official told PTI. "There is a good launch window in November".

"Rover, lander and landing operations will get more focus this time and whatever deficiencies in the Chandrayaan-2 mission will be corrected," sources in the Bengaluru- headquartered space agency said.

The new mission will include only a lander and rover, as the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is functioning well as reported by TOI. 

On September 7, ISRO attempted a soft landing of Chandrayaan-2's 'Vikram' on the unchartered lunar south pole, before losing communication with the lander.

A committee of academics and ISRO experts have analysed the cause of why the communication was lost with the lander. The committee was headed by V Narayanan, Director of the space agency's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. 

"This committee has pinpointed as to what went wrong. They have prepared a voluminous report and are believed to have submitted it to the Space Commission," an ISRO official said as reported by PTI. 

"It's expected to be put in the public domain after the approval of the PMO," the official said.

(Inputs from PTI)