{"id":99880,"date":"2026-04-23T16:04:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T10:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=99880"},"modified":"2026-04-23T16:04:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T10:34:59","slug":"chandrayaan-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/chandrayaan-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Chandrayaan-2, Objectives, Payloads, Significance, GSLV MK III"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Chandrayaan-2<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> stands as one of India\u2019s most ambitious and complex space missions, undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission was launched in <\/span><b>July 2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it marked India\u2019s <\/span><b>second mission to the Moon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and its <\/span><b>first attempt to achieve a soft landing using entirely indigenous technology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Chandrayaan-2 Objectives<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chandrayaan-2 aimed to advance India\u2019s lunar exploration by conducting a detailed scientific study of the Moon\u2019s surface, composition, and evolution.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>High-Resolution Mapping of the Moon:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To create detailed topographical maps of the lunar surface for better understanding of its structure and terrain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Study of Lunar Mineralogy and Composition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To identify and analyze minerals and elements such as magnesium, calcium, iron, and titanium using onboard instruments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Detection and Distribution of Water:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To investigate the presence of water molecules and <\/span><b>map water-ice deposits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially in permanently shadowed regions of the south pole.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Exploration of Lunar South Polar Region:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To study a largely unexplored region that may contain <\/span><b>ancient, preserved materials<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and crucial scientific clues.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Understanding Lunar Exosphere:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To analyze the Moon\u2019s thin atmosphere (exosphere) and its variations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Study of Lunar Surface Processes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To examine thermal properties, plasma environment, and surface interactions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Demonstration of Soft Landing Technology:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To successfully land the Vikram Lander on the Moon using indigenous technology.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rover Mobility and In-situ Experiments:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To deploy the Pragyan Rover for on-site chemical and elemental analysis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Advancement of Deep Space Technology:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To develop and test technologies required for future interplanetary missions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Mission Architecture Orbiter, Lander, Rover<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chandrayaan-2 was designed with three key components: Orbiter, Lander, and Rover to enable a combination of orbital study and direct surface exploration of the Moon, making it a technologically advanced and integrated mission.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Orbiter<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Orbiter is the primary component of Chandrayaan-2, placed in a ~100 km polar orbit around the Moon, designed to carry out long-term remote sensing and scientific observations.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It carries <\/span><b>eight advanced payloads<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to study lunar surface composition, mineralogy, water presence, exosphere, and ionosphere.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It provides <\/span><b>high-resolution imaging and mapping<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, helping in understanding lunar geology and evolution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It plays a crucial role as a <\/span><b>communication relay system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between Earth and the surface modules (lander and rover).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has an extended mission life and continues to send <\/span><b>valuable scientific data<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> even years after launch.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has significantly improved knowledge about the <\/span><b>lunar south polar region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially water-ice distribution.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>2. V<\/b><b>ikram Lander<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Vikram Lander was designed to achieve a <\/span><b>soft landing on the Moon\u2019s surface<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly in the challenging south polar region, and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was intended to land near <\/span><b>70\u00b0 south latitude<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between Manzinus C and Simpelius N craters.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It carried instruments to study <\/span><b>surface temperature, plasma density, and thermal properties<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Moon.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was designed to operate for <\/span><b>one lunar day (about 14 Earth days)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It acted as a <\/span><b>platform to deploy the Pragyan Rover<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for surface exploration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the final descent phase, it <\/span><b>lost communication and crash-landed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, preventing surface experiments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The failure provided <\/span><b>critical technical insights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for improving future landing missions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>3. Pragyan Rover<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Pragyan Rover was a robotic vehicle designed for <\/span><b>on-site (in-situ) exploration of the lunar surface<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> near the landing site.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a <\/span><b>6-wheeled, solar-powered rover<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> designed for mobility on the lunar surface.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was capable of traveling up to <\/span><b>500 meters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the landing point.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It carried instruments to analyze the <\/span><b>elemental and chemical composition of lunar soil and rocks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was designed to operate for <\/span><b>one lunar day (14 Earth days)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was dependent on the lander for <\/span><b>communication with Earth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It could not be deployed due to the <\/span><b>failure of the Vikram Lander<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but its design contributed to future mission improvements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Chandrayaan-2 Payloads<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chandrayaan-2 orbiter carried <\/span><b>eight sophisticated scientific payloads<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> designed to study the Moon\u2019s <\/span><b>surface, subsurface, mineral composition, and exosphere<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in an integrated manner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These payloads significantly improved upon the capabilities of Chandrayaan-1 by offering <\/span><b>higher spatial resolution, deeper penetration, and better spectral accuracy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CLASS is a <\/span><b>non-imaging X-ray spectrometer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that studies the Moon\u2019s surface through <\/span><b>X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It detects <\/span><b>major rock-forming elements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as Magnesium, Aluminium, Silicon, Calcium, Titanium, Iron, and Sodium.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The working principle involves measuring <\/span><b>characteristic X-rays emitted by elements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when excited by solar X-rays.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It helps in understanding:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>chemical composition of the lunar crust<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>processes involved in the Moon\u2019s formation and differentiation<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Equipped with <\/span><b>gold-coated copper collimators<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for accurate detection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Includes an <\/span><b>aluminium protective door<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to shield detectors from radiation during transit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contains a <\/span><b>radioactive calibration source (Titanium foil)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for maintaining measurement accuracy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>2. Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">XSM measures <\/span><b>solar X-ray emissions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are essential for interpreting lunar XRF data obtained by CLASS.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operates in the <\/span><b>energy range of 1\u201315 keV<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Full solar spectrum every second<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>High time-resolution light curves every 100 milliseconds<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capable of observing a wide range of solar activity, from <\/span><b>quiet Sun conditions to intense X-class flares<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensures <\/span><b>accurate calibration and correction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of surface composition data from CLASS.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently serves as a <\/span><b>unique source of continuous solar X-ray spectral data<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also Read: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/chandrayaan-3\/\" target=\"_blank\">Chandrayaan 3<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. CHACE-2 (Chandra\u2019s Atmospheric Compositional Explorer-2)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CHACE-2 is a <\/span><b>Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> designed for <\/span><b>in-situ analysis of the lunar exosphere<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its primary objectives include:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Determining the <\/span><b>composition of the lunar exosphere<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studying <\/span><b>spatial and temporal variations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in atmospheric constituents<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key components:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Electron impact ionizer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for ionizing neutral particles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Bayard-Alpert gauge<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for pressure measurement<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Quadrupole rods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for mass filtering<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Detectors including <\/span><b>Faraday Cup and Channel Electron Multiplier<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps in understanding:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Surface-exosphere interactions<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effects of <\/span><b>solar radiation and micrometeorite impacts<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>4. Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DFSAR is a <\/span><b>microwave imaging radar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> operating in both <\/span><b>L-band and S-band frequencies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is the <\/span><b>first fully polarimetric SAR instrument used in lunar exploration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, enabling detailed analysis of surface properties.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key objectives:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quantitative estimation of <\/span><b>water-ice in polar regions<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mapping of <\/span><b>regolith thickness and subsurface structure<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Study of <\/span><b>surface roughness and dielectric properties<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can analyze:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Impact craters, volcanic features, and ejecta deposits<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Equipped with:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>High-efficiency transmitter<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Low-noise receiver<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Onboard range compression technology<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>5. Imaging Infrared Spectrometer (IIRS)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IIRS is a <\/span><b>hyper-spectral imaging instrument<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> used for <\/span><b>mineralogical and chemical mapping<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Moon.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operates in the <\/span><b>spectral range of 0.8\u20135.0 micrometers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with about <\/span><b>250 contiguous spectral bands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key objectives:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Detection and characterization of <\/span><b>water (H\u2082O) and hydroxyl (OH)<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Global mapping of <\/span><b>lunar minerals and volatiles<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Special emphasis on the <\/span><b>3 micrometer absorption band<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which indicates the presence of water molecules.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enables identification of:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major and minor mineral phases<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Variations in surface composition across regions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps in studying:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Hydration processes on the Moon<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interaction between solar radiation and lunar surface<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>6. Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TMC-2 is an advanced imaging system designed for <\/span><b>high-resolution topographic mapping<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides images with <\/span><b>5-meter spatial resolution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and a <\/span><b>20 km swath width<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key functions:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creation of <\/span><b>three-dimensional maps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the lunar surface<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generation of <\/span><b>Digital Elevation Models (DEM)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps in:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding <\/span><b>surface morphology and geological evolution<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identifying features such as <\/span><b>craters, valleys, ridges, and tectonic structures<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data is useful for:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientific analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selection of future landing sites<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>7. Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OHRC captures <\/span><b>ultra-high resolution images (~0.32 meters)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the lunar surface.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Primarily used for <\/span><b>landing site characterization and hazard detection<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capable of identifying:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small craters<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boulders<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surface irregularities<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides <\/span><b>stereo imaging<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from different angles to generate <\/span><b>high-precision Digital Elevation Models<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uses <\/span><b>Time Delay Integration (TDI) sensors<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to enhance image clarity and sensitivity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also supports <\/span><b>post-landing scientific studies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through detailed surface imaging.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>8. Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) Experiment<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DFRS is designed to study the <\/span><b>lunar ionosphere and its electron density variations over time<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uses <\/span><b>two coherent radio frequencies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">X-band (8496 MHz)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">S-band (2240 MHz)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Signals are transmitted from the orbiter and received at ground stations for analysis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps in:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding <\/span><b>temporal changes in the lunar ionosphere<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studying <\/span><b>interaction of solar radiation with the Moon\u2019s environment<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Utilizes existing <\/span><b>telemetry and communication signals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it resource-efficient.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides insights into the <\/span><b>electromagnetic and plasma environment around the Moon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Chandrayaan-2 Significance<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chandrayaan-2 marked a major milestone in India\u2019s space journey by advancing lunar science and demonstrating complex space technologies.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhanced scientific understanding of the <\/span><b>Moon\u2019s surface, composition, and evolution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially in the unexplored south polar region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contributed to the <\/span><b>search for water-ice and hydroxyl molecules<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, crucial for future human missions and resource utilization.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provided insights into the <\/span><b>early <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/solar-system\/\" target=\"_blank\">Solar System<\/a><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as polar craters preserve ancient geological records.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Demonstrated India\u2019s capability in <\/span><b>deep space missions, orbital operations, and high-precision navigation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acted as a <\/span><b>technology testbed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for future missions, including landing, rover mobility, and communication systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthened the development and reliability of GSLV Mk III for advanced missions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laid the foundation for future missions such as Chandrayaan-3 and interplanetary exploration programs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boosted India\u2019s <\/span><b>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/make-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">Make in India<\/a>\u201d initiative<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by showcasing indigenous space technology and manufacturing capabilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhanced opportunities for <\/span><b>commercial satellite launches<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, contributing to economic growth and foreign exchange earnings.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>About GSLV MK III<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The GSLV Mk III, now officially known as LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3), is India\u2019s most powerful and heaviest launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation. It is designed to launch heavy communication satellites and deep space missions, and plays a crucial role in India\u2019s human spaceflight and planetary exploration programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a <\/span><b>three-stage rocket<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> consisting of two solid strap-on boosters (S200), a liquid core stage (L110), and a cryogenic upper stage (C25).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cryogenic stage uses <\/span><b>liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it highly efficient and marking India\u2019s achievement in <\/span><b>indigenous cryogenic engine technology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has a payload capacity of about <\/span><b>4 tonnes to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>8\u201310 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit (LEO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rocket has been used to launch major missions such as Chandrayaan-2 and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/chandrayaan-3\/\" target=\"_blank\">Chandrayaan-3<\/a><\/strong>, along with commercial satellite launches.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is the designated launch vehicle for the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/gaganyaan-mission\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gaganyaan Mission<\/a><\/strong> and has been <\/span><b>human-rated<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with enhanced safety and reliability systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GSLV Mk III strengthens India\u2019s capability in <\/span><b>heavy-lift launches, cost-effective space missions, and global space market competitiveness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reducing dependence on foreign launch services.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chandrayaan-2, launched by ISRO in 2019, explored the Moon\u2019s south pole, studied minerals and water, and tested landing technology through orbiter, Vikram and Pragyan rover.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":99883,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[7082,6385],"class_list":{"0":"post-99880","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-chandrayaan-2","9":"tag-science-and-technology","10":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99880"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99880\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99897,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99880\/revisions\/99897"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}