I first mentioned Chandrayaan-2 in this post, Chandrayaan-1 Space Saturdays April 20, 2019. It successfully launched July 22, 2019 and is scheduled to land on the Moon September 7, 2019 – https://www.isro.gov.in/chandrayaan2-home-0 and https://earthsky.org/space/india-chandrayaan-2-due-to-land-moon-sept-7-2019. Here’s to a successful landing.
This will make India the fourth nation to soft land on the Moon. Israel would have been the fourth nation if it had made a soft landing. The three countries that have made successful soft landings are Russia/Soviet Union, the United States, and China. India will also be the first to make a landing near the Moon’s South Pole. Their lunar lander is in orbit and has made a number of orbital burns since it achieved orbit.
As mentioned in my link to Chandrayaan-1 post above:
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The name Chandrayaan means “Moon Craft” in ancient Sanskrit, according to NASA. The Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft was based on an Indian meteorological satellite called Kalpansat. It was about the size of a refrigerator, with a dry weight (weight without fuel) of about 525 kilograms (1,160 lbs.) and was powered by a solar array that charged lithium-ion batteries on board.
Past Space Saturdays: https://upsdownsfamilyhistory.wordpress.com/tag/space-saturdays/
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