Spacewatch: India prepares to launch Chandrayaan 2 moon mission
by Stuart Clark from Science | The Guardian on (#4JZQZ)
If successful, India will become fourth country to soft-land on moon after Russia, US and China
India is making final preparations for the launch this Sunday of the Chandrayaan 2 moon mission. The spacecraft will take two months to cruise to the moon. Following its arrival, it will manoeuvre into a circular orbit just 62 miles (100km) above the lunar surface. It will then deploy the Vikram lander early in September.
This will be India's first attempt at a soft landing on the moon. If successful, it will make the country the fourth to achieve such a feat, after Russia, the US and China.
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