India to launch a manned mission to the moon

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is reportedly planning for a manned mission to the moon in 2014. The proposal is in its initial stage and has not been approved yet. The proposed budget for this manned mission is estimated to be around Rs 1,000 crore.

The proposal already got cleared by the Space Commission and subsequently it was submitted to the government. A high-powered committee is perusing the proposal and the ISRO is awaiting the verdict which is likely to be given in next two months. But, the process of selecting the team alreday started. MC Dathan, director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota Range informed, “Our chairman is very keen on the project getting approval. He has asked us to come out with complete proposals internally.”

Isro is planning to use Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) for the manned mission as Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is not capable of launching a load of over 1,500 kg. The organisation is aiming to develop a full-fledged training facility for the crew in Bangalore even though the Indian Air Force is capable to do so. Besides, there are plans for building a launch pad with facilities for entry into the human lunar space capsule and an escape chute for the crew if anything goes awry. The other two existing launch pads are not deemed fit for this purpose.

Meanwhile, the unmanned mission, named Chandrayaan-I, is expected to be launched between 6.20 am and 6.35 am on October 22 from southern India. The 1.5-ton spacecraft which is devised to document the moon’s surface and chemical characteristics while creating a three-dimensional topographic map, will take approximately eight days to travel about 240,000 miles before reaching its final orbit 60 miles above the surface of the Moon.