Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-2 was designed as an integrated lunar mission comprising an orbiter, lander and rover. ISRO's mission overview describes goals including mapping lunar topography, studying mineral distribution and surface chemistry, measuring thermal properties of the upper soil, and examining the Moon's tenuous atmosphere. The mission aimed to improve scientific understanding of the Moon's origin and evolution, including through investigation of the polar regions.

ISRO launched Chandrayaan-2 on 22 July 2019 aboard the GSLV Mk III-M1 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. After a sequence of Earth-orbit manoeuvres, the spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 20 August 2019. The orbiter later released the Vikram lander as preparations began for a descent toward the lunar surface.

The Vikram lander began its powered descent on 7 September 2019. ISRO reported that its descent followed the planned trajectory until it was about 2.1 kilometres above the surface, after which communication between the lander and ground stations was lost. The landing attempt did not result in a confirmed soft landing, and the Pragyan rover therefore did not begin surface operations. NASA describes Chandrayaan-2 as India's first attempt to soft-land on the Moon.

The orbiter continued in lunar orbit with eight scientific instruments. ISRO describes observations and planned measurements involving lunar elements, mineralogy, topography, surface and subsurface properties, water or hydroxyl signatures, and the lunar exosphere. Instruments include the Terrain Mapping Camera 2, Imaging Infra-Red Spectrometer, Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar, and the Solar X-ray Monitor. ISRO has publicly documented scientific results from the spacecraft's payloads, including solar X-ray observations by XSM. The mission thus retained a substantial science component despite the loss of communication with Vikram.

Chandrayaan-2 advanced India's lunar exploration programme and supplied observations for continued study of the Moon. It also demonstrated the complexity of operating an orbiter, lander and rover as part of one mission. ISRO identifies Chandrayaan-3 as a follow-on mission intended to demonstrate end-to-end capability for safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-2's outcome is best described in terms of its distinct components: the lander's attempted landing was unsuccessful, while the orbiter carried on with its planned orbital science.