Chandrayaan-2 ready for ride to moon, countdown Sunday morning

The success of Chandrayaan-2 will make India the fourth country in the world to land and explore the lunar surface

Early on July 15, India will send Chandrayaan-2 to explore the unexplored South Pole region of the moon, not only expanding the country’s footprint in space but also showcasing indigenous scientific capacity.

The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro’s) Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark-III, nicknamed Bahubali, will blast off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, carrying a load of 3,877 kg. This will include the lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyaan.

Before the take-off

Chandrayaan-2 consists of three segments — the orbiter (2,379 kg), Vikram (1,471 kg), and Pragyaan (27 kg). When it takes off, about