Photo Gallery: Chandrayaan-2's launch kit at a glance

Chandryaan 2 is an Indian lunar mission that will boldly go where no country has ever gone before - the Moon's south polar region. We aim to improve our understanding of the Moon, which could lead to discoveries that will benefit Indian and humanity as a whole. 

These insights and experiences will cause a paradigm shift in how lunar expeditions are approached for years to come, propelling further voyages into the farthest frontiers. 

The Moon is the closest cosmic body on which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising testbed to demonstrate the technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan-2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists. 

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV Mk-III)

The GSLV Mk-III will carry Chandrayaan to its designated orbit. This three-stage vehicle is India's most powerful launcher to date and is capable of launching 4-tonne class of satellites to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). 

Chandrayaan Composite Module

Chandrayaan-2 will be aided in achieving its mission by some of India's most advanced engineering marvels. Its composite module, which comprises technology and software developed across the country, includes a wholly indigenous rover and our first lander capable of executing a 'soft landing'. 

Orbiter

At the time of launch, the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter will be capable of communicating with the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) at Byalalu, as with the Vikram lander. The mission life of the Orbiter is one year, during which it will be placed in a 100 x 100 km lunar polar orbit. 

Vikram Lander

Chandrayaan 2's lander is named Vikram after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, teh Father of Indian Space Programme. It is designed to function for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 Earth days. Vikram has capability to communicate with IDSN at Byalalu near Bengaluru, as well as with the Orbiter and Pragyan rover. The lander is designed to execute a soft landing on the lunar surface at a touchdown velocity of 2 metres per second. 

Pragyan Rover Chandrayaan-2's rover is a 6-wheeled robotic vehicle named Pragyan, which translates to wisdom in Sanskrit. It can travel up to 500 m at a speed of 1 centimetre per second and leverages solar energy for its functioning. It can communicate with the lander.