The Chandrayaan-II will be launched as per schedule in the first quarter of 2013 and the design is getting finalised and the metal cutting will start this year, said Mylswamy Annadurai, Project Director, Chandrayaan-I and II of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Bangalore, here on Saturday.
Talking to The Hindu, the space scientist said that the Chandrayaan-II would have only a few additional equipments and not to the extent of 11 equipments attached to Chandrayaan-I that was launched recently. The Chandrayaan-II has been planned to land on the moon and make in situ chemical and mineral analysis to confirm the discovery of Chandrayaan-I.
He pointed out that Chandrayaan-II, a four-year project to be launched under Indo-Russia collaboration, would also carry out research on the moon and investigate the possibility of water through scientific study.
Referring to the success of the Chandrayaan-I launch, he said that it was mainly due to the combined efforts and team spirit of the scientists. He pointed out that the Chandrayaan-I launch was considered to be the greatest success in the space research programme.
