Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Chandrayan 2
Mains level : Significance of the Mission
- The Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-2 failed to make a smooth soft-landing, unable to bring down its speed to the required level.
- The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover were supposed to land on the moon and carry out observations and experiments for 14 days.
Why it was difficult?
- The polar regions of the moon are a very different, and difficult, terrain.
- Many parts lie in a completely dark region where sunlight never reaches, and temperatures can go below 230 degree Celsius.
- Lack of sunlight and extreme low temperatures create difficulty in operation of instruments.
- In addition, there are large craters all over the place, ranging from a few cm in size to those extending to several thousands of kilometres.
About the Chandrayaan Mission