All you need to know about Chandrayaan-2

With Chandrayaan-2's 'Vikram' module all set for a historic soft-landing on the Moon in the early hours of Saturday, here is all you need to know about India's second lunar expedition, which is expected to shed light on the Moon's South Polar region.

Hyderabad:As India and the world await Chandrayaan-2's soft-landing on the moon, the significance of the landmark space mission has been a point of discussion among the scientist community and social media alike.

India's lunar mission is expected to make a soft landing on the moon's south polar region on Saturday night.

Here is all you need to know about India's second lunar expedition

CHRONOLOGY OF CHANDRAYAAN-1
1999: Lunar Mission first conceived at Indian Academy of Sciences meeting
15 Aug 2003: PM Vajpayee announces Chandrayaan programme
22 Oct 2008: Chandrayaan-1 takes off from Sriharikota
08 Nov 2008: Chandrayaan-1 enters Lunar Transfer Trajectory
14 Nov 2008:Moon Impact Probe crashed near lunar South Pole
28 Aug 2009: Chandrayaan 1 programme ends

CHRONOLOGY OF CHANDRAYAAN-2
2007: ISRO signs agreement with Russia for Chandrayaan-2
2011: Russia expresses inability to provide lander on time
2013: India decides to proceed independently
22.07.2019: Chandrayaan 2 launched
02.09.2019:Vikram detaches from Orbiter
07.09.2019:Vikram to soft-land on lunar surface

HIGHLIGHTS OF CHANDRAYAAN-2
Chandrayaan-2 is a follow up of Chandrayaan-1 and it will become 1st spacecraft to land on Moon's south pole.

India to be the 4th nation to achieve soft-landing on the lunar surface. The mission has completely used home-grown technology.

Women make up 30% of Chandrayaan 2 team and India's 1st interplanetary mission will be steered by 2 women- Project Director M Vanitha, Mission Director Ritu Karidhal.

One rover-wheel to have Ashoka Chakra and lander to have Tricolour on it

Orbiter mission will continue for 1 year and the Pragyan rover to roam lunar surface for 14 Earth days.

OBJECTIVES OF THE MISSION
It demonstrates the ability of soft-landing and identifies minerals on the moon.

Its objective is also to study the lunar surface and ionosphere and further examine the lunar surface for water molecules.