GSAT-7A Launch - GSLV-F11 and ISRO-Chandrayaan-2 Mission
GSAT-7A with GSLV-F11 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles) . Launched by ISRO.
GSAT-7A
- Close to the intended orbit- GSLV-F11 injected GSAT-7A into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) .
- An advanced communication satellite.
- A Gregorian Antenna and other new technologies.
- Also the 39th Indian Communication Satellite of ISRO.
Key Feature
- Weighs 2,250 kg.
- Heaviest satellite launched by GSLV-Mk-II.
- Include six successive flights since 2014.
ISRO-Chandrayaan-2 Mission
- Launch announcement date (July 15,2019) .
- Chandrayaan-1 was the predecessor of Chandrayaan-2.
- Chandrayaan-1 was an Orbiter mission which was sent way back in 2008.
- Chandrayaan-2 was supposed to be a collaborative mission with the Russian space agency, Roskosmos.
- Russians withdrew from the missions.
- ISRO had to design, develop and build the lander on its own.
Chandrayaan-2՚s Features
- India՚s first lander mission.
- Consists of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover, all equipped with scientific instruments to study the moon.
Lander
- ISRO named the Lander module as Vikram after Vikram Sarabhai
- The 1471-kg lander will remain stationary even after touching down on the moon՚s surface.
- Will carry three instruments to study mainly the moon՚s atmosphere.
- Looking out for seismic activity on lunar surface.
Rover
- Is a 6-wheeled, Artificial Intelligence-powered and solar-powered vehicle.
- Named as Pragyan meaning wisdom.
- Equipped with two instruments.
- Would slowly crawl on the surface.
- Primary objective is to study the composition of the moon՚s surface near the landing site.
- Also help in the determining the abundance of different elements on the moon՚s surface.
Challenges
- Controlling speed as it approaches the surface.
- For smooth landing the speed of the Lander just ahead of touchdown should be 1 m⟋s (3.6 km⟋h) or less.
- Due to lack of air- Instruments cannot make use of parachute-like technologies.
Significance
- Completely unexplored territory.
- Offers great scientific opportunity for the mission to discover something new.
- Moon՚s South Pole holds the possibility of the presence of water.
- South Pole area is also supposed to have ancient rocks and craters.
- Contain clues to the fossil records of early solar system.
✍Examrace Team at Aug 21, 2021