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Journey


Chandrayaan-1 will be launched on board a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India, on 22 October 2008. After having reached its lunar transfer orbit around the Earth, it will travel for five and a half days to reach the lunar orbit insertion point and enter a nearly circular orbit at a height of about 1000 km over the Moon. After two-weeks of in-orbit manoeuvres, the satellite will reach its final circular, polar orbit at an altitude of 100 km. The mission is planned to operate for at least two years.
 
 
 
Last update: 20 October 2008

 •  Looking at the Moon (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM5DO4N0MF_index_0_m.html)
 •  SMART-1 (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SMART-1/index.html)

Read more

 •  Welcome to the double planet (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SMART-1/SEMO1VMKPZD_0.html)
 •  Lunar science - still plenty left to do! (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SMART-1/SEM2BHXO4HD_0.html)
 •  Where did the Moon come from? (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SMART-1/SEMACHXO4HD_0.html)

Related ESApod

 •  SHAR: the Indian launch base (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMHJLY5KMF__0.html)
 •  India – Europe cooperation (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMZ4A3IDMF_index_0.html)
 •  Video overview of the Chandrayaan-1 mission (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMNBQSG7MF_index_0.html)

Related links

 •  Indian Space Research Organisation (http://www.isro.org/)
 •  Chandrayaan-1 at ISRO (http://www.isro.org/chandrayaan/htmls/home.htm)
 •  C1XS web page (http://www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/c1xs/C1_Launch.htm)
 •  SIR-2 web page (http://www.mps.mpg.de/projects/sir)
 •  SARA web page (http://documents.irf.se/get_document.php?group=Administration &docid=984)

In depth

 •  Moon facts (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31412)