A series of ground and aerial tests linked to the critical Moon landing of Chandrayaan-2 have been started by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The tests begun at its new site at Challakere in Chitradurga district, 400 km from Bengaluru.

The lead centre for the second Moon mission, ISRO Satellite Centre or ISAC, has artificially created close to ten craters to simulate the lunar terrain and test the Lander’s sensors.

The Hindu reported, ISAC Director M.Annadurai, said that, “The campaign for the Lander tests of Chandrayaan-2 has started. Tests are conducted over the simulated craters at Chitradurga. We are using an aircraft to assess whether the sensors on the Lander will do their job (later) of identifying the landing spot on the Moon.”

Chandrayaan-2 is tentatively set for late 2017 or early 2018 and includes soft-landing on Moon and moving a rover on its surface.

Dr. Annadurai said that, landing on an alien surface is very complicated. He was also the Project Director for the successful Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission of 2008.

ISAC would conduct many tests: on avionics and electronics; testing the Lander’s legs, followed by a combined full test, at Bengaluru and Chitradurga.

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Nandini