YM COLUMN ARCHIVE

November 19, 2008

Success of India’s MIP

Chandrayaan-1 that was launched from Sriharikota launch site of India on October 22 was successfully put on lunar orbit at the altitude 100km on November 8. At 8:31pm on November 14 (Fri) (India time) i.e. two days after the spacecraft was put on circular orbit at altitude 100km, MIP (Moon Impact Probe) was separated from the orbiter to have been successfully touched down on lunar surface. This day was a national holiday of India (Children’s day), for which celebration four sides of the probe was depicted with the national flag of India. Pandit Jawaharial Nehru, the first premier of India, was born on November 14, 1889. After his death his birthday was marked as “Children’s day” to honor his great achievements forever.

The main objective of the 35kg probe is to observe lunar surface at close range, and is installed with radar altimeter, video camera and mass spectrometer. The objective of spectrometer is explained as examining what’s in lunar atmosphere, which is believed, nothing substantially exists. Each of the above three instruments was provided for by ESA (European Space Agency). Chandrayaan-2 slated for launch some time between 2010 and 2012 is to load Russian rover and lander, and MIP test this time was conducted for help to design future mission of soft landing on moon. For your information, size of the probe is:

375mm x 375mm x 470mm

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/08114-india-impact-probe.html

MIP also tested to soften the impact of landing by injecting rocket engine while descending. It was about thirty minutes later the separation from the spacecraft when the probe made hard landing near Shackleton crater at the South Pole region.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/india-touches-the-moon-mip-crashlands/78179-11.html

I welcome your opinions on this column to the following E-mail address.
matogawa@planetary.or.jp

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