India on Friday became the fourth nation to have its flag flying on the Moon’s surface when Chandrayaan-1′s Moon Impact Probe device, – which has the Indian Tricolour painted on it – touched down. The 35-kilo payload crash-landed on the lunar surface at around 2030 hrs IST. The MIP has started sending its first signals to the satellite.
It also contains equipment which will help scientists design a lunar lander or rover for the upcoming Chandrayaan-2 mission.
There’s a lot tucked away inside the MIP. There’s a device to constantly check it’s height as it falls, another to check what the air on the moon is made of and even a video camera to photograph the moon from close range. Those photographs will help ISRO decide where to land India’s first moon rover, a few years from now. The MIP also has the Indian flag painted on its sides a Sanskrit shloka as well.
These two are close up pictures of the moon’s surface taken by Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on November 14, 2008 as it approached it after separating from Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. Please note that these pictures are reproduced as received.
4 Comments
November 14, 2008 at 6:18 pm
i feel proud.
its a great feeling
cheers for chandrayan!!!
December 25, 2008 at 6:52 pm
thats great guys we did it
February 27, 2009 at 7:55 pm
That’s really great to know about aour country progressing in such a way….and that’s why our college is considering this Chandrayaan Theme in our college Tech Fest
February 7, 2010 at 5:17 pm
solid post , really good view on the subject and very well written, this certainly has put a spin on my day, many thanks from the USA and observe up the good work