The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) issued a press release today that India successfully launched their Chandrayaan-2 mission to the Moon. After reaching its orbit around the Earth, the spacecraft will begin its nearly 60-day journey. The landing on the Moon is scheduled for September 7, 2019.
ISRO chairman, Dr. K. Sivan stated, ““Today is the beginning of the historical journey of India towards Moon … .” It truly is as India continues its scientific quest to aid humanity to reach out to the moon – and beyond.
We congratulate India on their success and look forward to a soft landing.
And we recall the lines from Robert Heinlein’s story, “The Green Hills of Earth,”
“Up
leaps a race of Earthmen,
Out, far, and onward yet —“.
This is an update to my post of 21 July, 2019, “Back to the Moon!” which speaks to the several nations that are reaching out for the Moon to expand our understand of that body and the to reach outward beyond that.
The image is combination of a launch picture from the NBC News website, and the badge of the ISRO.
The ISRO press release may be found at: https://www.isro.gov.in/update/22-jul-2019/gslv-mkiii-m1-successfully-launches-chandrayaan-2-spacecraft .