ISRO plans lab on moon to dig into its soil composition

Conveying this to newsmen at Thoothukudi, on Saturday, Mylswamy Annadurai, Project director of Chandrayan I and II, said that the proposed lab would be set up on the surface of the moon by Chandrayan-II. 

Annadurai, who was in the Pearl City for a private college function said that Chandrayan-II would be launched towards the end of 2017 or at the beginning of 2018 through GSLV. Chandrayan-II would establish a chemical research laboratory on the moon to conduct spot study on samples collected from the lunar surface. 

The important feature of the facility on the moon was that it would function for just 14 days but the period would be more than sufficient to collect and analyse the samples. When asked about the timeframe of 14 days, he explained that though there would be 14 days and 14 nights during the period, the temperature during night would be way below the minimum level and hence the lab would not be able to survive. 

However, Chandrayan-II would be orbiting around the moon for a period of one year. Initially Chandrayan-II project was planned as a joint venture with Russia, but now ISRO had decided to launch the satellite on its own and hence it would completely be an indigenous mission, he added. 

Regarding the future projects, the project director said that it might be a busy schedule for the space giant as it would do 70 launches, approximately two missions every month, in the next three to four years. In fact, from next month there would be three missions every month. In September INSAT-3DR would be launched followed by GSAT-8 in October and Resourcesat-2A in November. In the last 12 months, from August 2015 to August 2016, 10 satellites were put in space. 

Touching upon a social issue, the ace scientist made an appeal to impart primary education to children in their respective mother tongue. This would create a strong foundation in them when it comes to science and technology, Annadurai opined. KKNPP Site Director, Sundar, was also present during the press meet.