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Posted by: ljk4-1 May 1 2006, 04:23 PM

Chandrayaan Lunar Mission Will Carry NASA Payload

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chandrayaan_Lunar_Mission_Will_Carry_NASA_Payload.html

Bangalore, India (SPX) May 1, 2006 - ISRO has agreed to carry two NASA research
instruments aboard its Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, the Indian lunar-orbiting
mission planned for launch next year, The Hindu newspaper reported Sunday.


ISRO Pushing For Indian Satellite Industry

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/ISRO_Pushing_For_Indian_Satellite_Industry.html

Bangalore, India (SPX) May 1, 2006 - ISRO is looking to jump-start an Indian
satellite industry by inviting prospective domestic contractors to work with the
agency until they can develop independent manufacturing capabilities.

Posted by: BruceMoomaw May 1 2006, 10:14 PM

Very nice description of Chandrayaan's science payload at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2006/pdf/1704.pdf . Looks well-designed -- if Japan's Selene-1 fails, this one will make a good backup. (Note, by the way, that it carries THREE separate near-IR spectrometers.)

Posted by: RNeuhaus May 2 2006, 12:46 AM

A very interesting project since it is the Indian's lunar spacecraft mission. India has already developed many spacecraft, all of them for telecomunications, science and meteorological purposes around the Earth. India has own rocket technology which is based of cyrogenic liquid.

The spacecraft will be launched on a PSLV C5 (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota on the southeast coast of India in September of 2007 at the earliest. The PSLV will inject Chandrayaan-1 into a 240 x 36000 km geosynchronous transfer orbit. After a 5.5 day lunar transfer trajectory the spacecraft will be captured into an initial 1000 km near circular orbit which will be lowered to a 200 km checkout orbit and finally into a 100 km circular polar orbit. It will stay in orbit and return data for at least two years. Chandrayaan is Hindi for "Moon Craft". Total cost of the mission is about $100 million U.S.

The price tag of the Chandrayaan-1 is not cheap and it sounds about right. It will bring many scientific instruments.

Hope it will success since it is labeled as a high risk project since it is the first project ones.

Rodolfo

Posted by: ljk4-1 May 9 2006, 06:44 PM

NASA Agrees to Cooperate With India on Lunar Mission

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.nl.html?pid=19798

"NASA will have two scientific instruments on India's maiden voyage to the moon.

Tuesday, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and his counterpart, Indian Space
Research Organization Chairman G. Madhavan Nair, signed two Memoranda of
Understanding in Bangalore, India, for cooperation on India's Chandrayaan-1
mission."

Posted by: ljk4-1 Sep 21 2006, 03:02 PM

India Space Agency Dreams Of Lunar Ice Mines

http://www.moondaily.com/reports/India_Space_Agency_Dreams_Of_Lunar_Ice_Mines_999.html

Discussing the aforesaid programme of ISRO, chairman PRI council, ISRO-DOS, Prof UR Rao said: "The mission aims to search for surface or sub-surface water-ice on the moon, specially at the lunar pole and to carry out high resolution mapping of topographic features in 3D. It would also look into the mineral composition of the moon." Rao, who is also Chancellor of Ambedkar University, was in the city on Tuesday.

Posted by: GravityWaves Oct 1 2006, 04:42 AM

Outsourcing NASA to India ?

Posted by: GravityWaves Nov 27 2006, 02:33 AM

Indian scientist spearheads ISRO-NASA joint moon exploration
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE320061120005906&Page=3&Title=Features+-+Health+%26+Science&Topic=166

India's lunar ambitions
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HK07Df01.html

Posted by: GravityWaves Mar 3 2007, 03:21 PM

Mooncraft, India’s the First Dream Spacecraft
http://press-releases.techwhack.com/7850/mooncraft/&cid=1114129887

Posted by: GravityWaves Apr 11 2007, 06:54 AM

Posted by: Marz Apr 11 2007, 03:53 PM

"We should be able to build an atmosphere without much problem. Then, we could send half our population there,"



I suppose if you have the means to lob 300+ million people into space (presumably safely), then building an atmosphere is relatively simple.

Posted by: Rakhir Jan 11 2008, 11:27 PM

Only three months from the next lunar mission.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM6563MDAF_index_0.html

Posted by: mps Jun 10 2008, 07:26 AM

Chandrayaan 1 could launch in September
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Moon_mission_launch_in_September_ISRO/articleshow/3115579.cms

Posted by: Redstone Aug 6 2008, 11:07 PM

Now NET second week of October.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Moon_mission_likely_in_October_ISRO/articleshow/3334456.cms

Posted by: Zvezdichko Oct 9 2008, 10:19 AM

Hey, Lunar enthusiasts, wake up!

http://en.rian.ru/world/20081007/117525754.html

Launch now sheduled for October 22

Posted by: djellison Oct 9 2008, 10:44 AM

I just finished doing some quick little animations for the C1XS team. It's not a great 3d model of Chandrayaan-1 (it was quite hard to get good details) but the X-Ray spectrometer looks good thanks to help from RAL. It's a bit annoying that the quality of bump maps/textures for the moon is much worse than for Mars - we need this flotilla (Kaguya, Chang-e 1, Chandrayaan-1 and LRO ) to do their thing before we can have realistic data to make better animations . Meanwhile -a few stills attached, I'll leave it up to the C1XS team to release the finished thing. No - it's not vacuuming up skittles....those are Xrays silly

It should make it on ESA's coverage of the launch ( they are involved with C1XS ), the C1XS website, and maybe the national media here in the UK will pick it up as well

Posted by: Phil Stooke Oct 9 2008, 02:13 PM

Nice!

I understand the Impact Probe is targeted for Malapert Mountain - this might only be a provisional target, and there may be others. If we have any Indian members who can say more, it would be nice to hear from them. There will be images during the descent, but not full video. Nevertheless there should be a good close look at the surface before the end.

Phil

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 9 2008, 04:23 PM

While looking around for Chandrayaan-1 information recently I stumbled across this site, which seems to be enthusiast-maintained. They have a forum -- might be a good place to ask such questions. The site's in English but presumably the people making the site can read the Hindi-language websites and newspapers.

http://www.chandrayaan-i.com/

--Emily

Posted by: djellison Oct 10 2008, 10:34 AM

Yay - cleared for public release


http://dougellison.com/c1xs/c1xs_edited_h264_small.mov 9.3 meg small version
http://dougellison.com/c1xs/c1xs_edited_MP4.mp4 - 50 meg 720p High Def MP4 version

A press release will probably follow, along with the movies going up on the RAL C1XS website.


Doug

Posted by: eoincampbell Oct 11 2008, 03:49 AM

I, for one, really appreciate that ...YAY

Posted by: djellison Oct 14 2008, 11:18 AM

http://www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/C1xs/C1_Launch.htm.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Oct 14 2008, 11:36 AM

Nice!

The Moon Impact Probe has now been targeted for the rim of Shackleton crater, according to an article in The Hindu online. There should be images on the way down. This will happen after entry into orbit, in mid-November.

Phil

Posted by: djellison Oct 18 2008, 07:30 PM

Wahayyy

http://www.astronomynow.com/081016UKcamerareadytoeyetheMoon.html

I'll be going to the live launch event at RAL near Oxford on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning next week

Doug

Posted by: peter59 Oct 20 2008, 07:07 AM

Photo Gallary of CHANDRAYAAN-1
http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c11/photos/index.htm
Chandrayaan-1 Live Webcast 22nd Oct 2008 0550-0650 Hrs(IST) ?

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 20 2008, 12:23 PM

More info about India's Moon Mission.
http://www.rediff.com/news/moonmission08.html

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 20 2008, 12:30 PM

The lunar spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 is scheduled to blast off aboard an Indian-built rocket at 6:20am IST (0050 GMT) on Wednesday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in southern Tamil Nadu state.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 20 2008, 12:35 PM

There is book written by Pallava Bagla titled "Destination Moon" which has all the information about Chandrayaan.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 20 2008, 01:01 PM

On a lighter note..

To keep the odds in their favor, some scientists make pilgrimages to the famous Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, with a small bronze replica of the payload. The model is sprinkled with holy water and placed in front of an idol of Vishnu to be blessed for success.

"Once you are airborne there is not time to make changes," said Rajeev Lochan, assistant science secretary of ISRO. "Maybe it helps to have the divine in your corner."

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 20 2008, 01:18 PM

India is getting ready with Deep Space Network too...for future missions to comets/asteroids/mars.

--------
ISRO recently established a 32-meter diameter antenna at Byalalu near Bangalore for providing tracking and command support for Chandrayaan-I.

The antenna and associated systems are the first steps in building the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN), that is vital for facilitating a two-way radio communication link between the spacecraft and the earth.

The DSN-32 project will provide ISRO the capability to handle deep space missions besides allowing it to extend cross-support to similar missions by other nations because of its inter-operable features, world standards specifications and state-of-the-art capabilities.
--------

Posted by: djellison Oct 20 2008, 01:51 PM

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/76250/10_2008/30min_destination_moon1/30-minutes-indias-mission-moon--meet-the-men--whats-in-it-for-you.html

Bits of my anim in there (wooot!) and video of the spacecraft before LV integration.

Doug

Posted by: SpaceListener Oct 21 2008, 01:09 AM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 20 2008, 08:18 AM)

1. There is only one DSN in Bangalore? Then, if it is so, Bangalore will only be able to track on it only for less than 14 days.
2. Is the launch orbit path from the Earth is on the Equatorial path toward to Moon?
3. Will Chandrayaan 1 enter on Polar orbit of Moon?

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 21 2008, 04:02 AM

SpaceListener,

1. Check this for Telemetry and Tracking Info: http://www.isro.org/Chandrayaan/htmls/ground_segment.htm
Looks like Existing N/Ws, New DSN at Byalalu and External DSNs would be used.

2. Check here. http://www.isro.org/Chandrayaan/htmls/home.htm
From "http://www.isro.org/Chandrayaan/htmls/mission_sequence.htm" It looks like Equatorial.

3. Mission Objectives at ISRO website says....
=> " To realise the integration and testing, launching and achieving lunar polar orbit of about 100 km "
So, Lunar Polar Orbit it is.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 21 2008, 06:59 AM

India’s moon mission countdown continues in heavy rain

It was raining heavily at India’s spaceport Sriharikota Tuesday morning as scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) continued their countdown for the launch of the country’s first mission to the moon.Though the ISRO scientists have said only a cyclone would put off their scheduled launch, there were signs of anxiety about the weather, even as the countdown proceeded smoothly.

“The filling of liquid propellant in the fourth stage, charging gas bottles and pressurising them got over at 2 a.m. today (Tuesday). Next major activity is the filling up of the second stage with liquid propellant,” M.Y.S. Prasad, associate director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre told IANS from Sriharikota, off the Andhra Pradesh coast and about 80 km from here.

The 40-tonne fuel-filling activity will start at 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon and is scheduled to be completed by 10 p.m.

Speaking about the weather, he said: “It is not what we want. Nevertheless the launch activities are progressing as scheduled.”

Full Story: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/indias-moon-mission-countdown-continues-in-heavy-rain_100109675.html

Posted by: djellison Oct 21 2008, 08:02 AM

QUOTE (SpaceListener @ Oct 21 2008, 02:09 AM)

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 21 2008, 08:08 AM

un-necessary quote removed - admin

Also, Looks like NASA is chipping in with tracking ...

In addition to the two science instruments, NASA said it will provide space communications support to Chandrayaan-1.
The primary location for NASA's ground tracking station will be at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.

Full Story : http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/oct/21imoon.htm

Posted by: Astro0 Oct 21 2008, 10:32 AM

FWIW - The Canberra DSN will be using two of its antennas for launch support.
Initial acquisition during spacecraft spin up and booster separation - UTC 0115-0125 nominal.
Acquisition will be tricky, Chandrayaan-1 will be very close to the local horizon and the track will only be for 10 minutes.

We will then provide uplink and downlink support over the following two days for 4-10 hours per day.
We may be called upon again to provide support but as I understand it, the Goldstone DSN will be providing some of the cruise tracking support, along with the JHU antenna.

Looking forward to a successful mission.

Thanks for all the news tips Bhas.

Astro0

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 21 2008, 10:40 AM

Glad to share the updates, Astro0.

Fingers crossed at Chandrayaan launch site - October 21, 2008 14:58 IST

Intermittent rains in Nellore district which houses Shriharikota may not affect the launch of India's first moon mission, Chandrayan-1. Indian Space Research Organisation officials told rediff.com that the mission will take off on time and the weather may not be a factor.
Due to bad weather the countdown for the launch of the mission started two hours behind schedule on Monday.

ISRO officials are optimistic that the launch will take place at 0620 hrs on October 22 as per schedule. Nearly 1000 scientists are working overtime in Shriharikota to ensure that the launch is smooth. The countdown process was also supervised personally by ISRO chairman, Madhavan Nair on Monday.

ISRO officials say that the PSLV rocket can sustain a slight drizzle but there could be a problem in case of a heavy downpour at the time of the launch. Everyone at Shriharikota is keeping their fingers crossed so that the weather remains fine and does not play spoilsport during this historic event. ISRO officials say that they hope that there is fine weather. The meterorology department of ISRO is closely monitoring the situation. Only a cyclonic storm or heavy lightning can hold up the launch, they say.

The successful launch of the Chandrayan-1 will prove to be a major step towards achieving another dream and that is to have a manned mission.

M C Dathan, director at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre, Shriharikota Range says that a preliminary study in this regard has been done and submitted to the Space Commission. Although the proposal has been cleared by the Space Commission, it is pending approval from the government.

Dathan adds that the proposal is likely to be cleared in two months. Sources say that a manned mission to the moon will be a reality by 2015 and ISRO plans to develop a training facility in this regard at Bangalore.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 21 2008, 10:53 AM

NOTE: Found the following information in one of local sites and was not sure if the link will be active for long time...So posting entire content here.

Chandrayaan-1: The Course It Takes From Sriharikota To The Lunar World
=================================================
India's first lunar orbitor, Chandrayaan-1, will travel about 4,00,000 kilometres outside the Earth's atmosphere to capture the "beautiful secrets" of the Moon. But astrophysicists at ISRO will have to wait for at least 18 days to get the first close-up pictures of the lunar terrain from Chandrayaan-1.

Not until November 8, Chandrayaan-1 will reach its designated orbit around the Earth's only natural satellite, at a safe but close distance of 100 km from the Moon. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C11 blasts off from Sriharikota island in Nellore district in the early morning of October 22 carrying Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. The PSLV-C11 will leave the spacecraft at a point in space, 250 km from the Earth at its closest (perigee) and 23,000 km at its farthest (apogee).

According to the celestial schedule drawn up by ISRO team, after circling the Earth in its initial orbit for a while, Chandrayaan-1 is taken into two more elliptical orbits whose apogees lie still higher at 37,000 km and 73,000 km respectively. "This is done at opportune moments by firing the spacecraft's Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) when the spacecraft is near perigee. Subsequently, LAM is fired again to take the spacecraft to an extremely high elliptical orbit whose apogee lies at about 3,87,000 km," says the ISRO's plan of action.

In this orbit, the spacecraft makes one complete revolution around the Earth in about 11 days. During its second revolution around the Earth in this orbit, the spacecraft will approach the Moon's north pole at a safe distance of about a few hundred kilometres since the Moon would have arrived there in its journey round the Earth.

"Once the Chandrayaan-1 reaches the vicinity of the Moon, the spacecraft is oriented in a particular way and its LAM is again fired. This slows down the spacecraft sufficiently to enable the gravity of the moon to capture it into an elliptical orbit. Following this, the height of the spacecraft's orbit around the moon is reduced in steps. After a careful and detailed observation of perturbations in its intermediate orbits around the moon, the height of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft's orbit will be finally lowered to its intended 100 km height from the lunar surface," an ISRO release says.

Later, the Moon Impact Probe will be ejected from Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft at the earliest opportunity to hit the lunar surface in a chosen area. Following this, cameras and other scientific instruments are turned on and thoroughly tested. This leads to the operational phase of the mission. This phase lasts about two years during which Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft explores the lunar surface with its array of instruments that includes cameras, spectrometers and its radar system.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 21 2008, 12:55 PM

"Chandrayaan: ISRO all set to capture moments live"

“We’ve placed 20 cameras - both video and high-speed still cameras - at strategic points 600 metres away from the Second Launch Pad from where the rocket lifts off. These are remote-operated and will start functioning once the final count-down begins," said K.Chandrasekhar, who heads the photography wing at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. The cameras will be placed inside special protective cases at varying heights on four lightning-towers surrounding the launch pad. The cameras will be recovered after a safety team gives the go-ahead after the launch.

This apart, photographers will be deployed seven kilometres from the launch pad to snap the 6.20 a.m launch. They will be using cameras with 500 mm to 600 mm zoom lenses.

And it’s not just digital cameras that will be on the job on Wednesday.

The ISRO team is also using conventional 35 mm film-roll cameras.

“In all, we’ve around 22 photographers here for the event. We’ll be using Nikon and Hasselblad cameras to capture the launch"

>> I Hope to upload the pictures as and when they are available.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 21 2008, 01:16 PM

The launch pad of the Chandrayaan.

Posted by: SpaceListener Oct 21 2008, 01:48 PM

QUOTE (djellison @ Oct 21 2008, 03:02 AM)

Hint for you - radio dishes work when it's daytime That dish will have radio visibility for probably a good 10 hours a day I would have thought.

Doug

Posted by: djellison Oct 21 2008, 01:51 PM

Well done BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7679818.stm

Talks about the 'dark' side of the moon ( there is no such thing )
and puts a credit of ISRO on the image - when is should be Doug Ellison / RAL.

The still was lifted from page 1 of this thread as well.

Posted by: centsworth_II Oct 21 2008, 03:13 PM

QUOTE (djellison @ Oct 21 2008, 08:51 AM)

Posted by: Rakhir Oct 21 2008, 08:05 PM

QUOTE (djellison @ Oct 21 2008, 01:51 PM)

Posted by: djellison Oct 21 2008, 08:19 PM

And tweaked the nearside/darkside text as well

Posted by: Astro0 Oct 21 2008, 11:41 PM

Emily mentioned the webcast in the PS Blog...
Here's the direct link: http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c11/videos/introduction.htm

Astro0

PS: Just adding to post higher above. The Canberra DSN will also be providing tracking support later today between 0600-1130 UTC.

Posted by: slinted Oct 22 2008, 12:06 AM

The video stream is also available at http://msrv2.wstream.net/isro/

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 12:48 AM

3 minutes to go...very exciting....hope it will be successful..

Posted by: Jason W Barnes Oct 22 2008, 12:58 AM

Ack -- we can't get the broadcast feed to work. Requesting liveblog updates from anyone who can see the feed! Is it working?

- Jason W. Barnes

Posted by: Phil Stooke Oct 22 2008, 01:00 AM

Launched successfully!

Phil

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 01:02 AM

Launch went fine...so far...
3rd stage in progress...
4th stage ignition went successfully.

Velocity - 7.326km/s
5 minutes in to flight

Posted by: tanjent Oct 22 2008, 01:04 AM

Slinted's link yields only a series of still shots which seem to be days and weeks old - no live streaming video that my super-slow ADSL connection can pick up on. The fault may lie at least partly with my location - Taiwan has not added any off-island broadband capacity for eight or nine years, since the boom went bust. We have super-fast domestic internet but for overseas traffic we are back to the days of dialup. Emily's link from the blog yields a still of a launch (I don't believe it is today's launch) and a notification that the live webcast should have already begun. So I'll be looking here for confirmation that the launch has taken place...

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 01:05 AM

Alititude: 210 km
Velocity : 8km/Sec
Flight Time : 740sec

Going good so far

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 01:14 AM

Seems everything went fine.
orbit is achieved.
Now, we have to wait for 5.5 days for Chandrayaan-I to arrive at Moon.

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 22 2008, 01:15 AM

Thanks, Bhas! Keep the updates coming -- I've lost the feed here in Los Angeles, and am trying to get updates for my http://planetary.org/blog -- you will be my lifeline!

--Emily

Posted by: Jason W Barnes Oct 22 2008, 01:18 AM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 21 2008, 06:14 PM)

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 22 2008, 01:22 AM

AFP is http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081022/ts_afp/indiaspacemoonlaunch that official time of liftoff was 00:52 UTC.

Jason, you can probably find what you want to know http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/brochure/contents.htm; report back and let us know!

--Emily

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 01:23 AM

ISRO: 1st leg of chandrayaan has been perfect.
ISRO: Spacecraft to now circle the earth.
ISRO: India is the 6th nation to send "UnManned SpaceFlight" to Moon.
ISRO: Every parameter of the launch has proceeded successfully.
ISRO: We are certain that Chandrayaan-I will reach moon.

That's all for now.
I will check some time later to see if there is any other information available.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Oct 22 2008, 01:26 AM

All the recent missions including this one have started in a geostationary transfer orbit (or geometrically similar - apogee at 25000 km or so). Then they increase the apogee with successive burns until it is at lunar distance and slip into a high lunar orbit, then gradually shrink that to a low lunar orbit. SMART-1 did something similar but very slowly with its ion engine. The 5.5 day trip to the Moon doesn't start at once, it's the last of those big orbits.

Phil

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 22 2008, 01:30 AM

Ah. http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/brochure/page9.htm of exactly what you're describing, Phil. Initial perigee is 250 km, apogee 23,000 km. Unfortunately it doesn't specify how long the whole journey is supposed to take. Does anybody know?

--Emily

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 01:34 AM

I don't know what all the Cameras captured.
Very cloudy climate. Smoke at Lift-Off around rocket.

Achieving orbit etc using PSLV is normal since thats what would have happened in case of launch of any other satellite.
The real task would be orbital corrections and placing it in required orbit around Moon.
Then we have Deployment of all Instruments and Releasing Impactor.

as far as the information available to actual interesting stuff would start (data/photos etc) from Nov, 8th.

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 22 2008, 01:40 AM

Yeah, it looked like it launched directly into a cloud, but I did catch a glimpse of the rocket emerging briefly from cloud atop a pillar of fire -- that will be the money shot, if someone captured it.

Thanks again for the updates.

--Emily

Posted by: Phil Stooke Oct 22 2008, 01:41 AM

Bhas, we are told the impact probe will hit the rim of Shackleton. Do you have any source that gives a precise target point, in coordinates or on an image?

Phil

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 22 2008, 01:51 AM

http://www.chandrayaan-i.com/news/news.html?tid=10222008 maintains a helpful list of links to news stories about the mission. The first post-launch news stories have just appeared.

--Emily

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 03:18 AM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Oct 22 2008, 07:11 AM)

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 03:22 AM

Here is another picture of the mission.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 03:27 AM

Update from ISRO

Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G Madhavan Nair described the successful launch as a historic moment in India's space programme.
"The launch was perfect and precise. The satellite has been placed in the earth orbit. With this, we have completed the first leg of the mission and it will take 15 days to reach the lunar orbit," Nair announced in the mission control centre shortly after PSLV-C11 put the spacecraft in a transfer orbit.

After circling the earth in its highly elliptical Transfer Orbit for a while, Chandrayaan-1 would be taken into more elliptical orbits by repeated firing of the spacecraft's Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) at opportune moments.
Subsequently, the LAM would be again fired to take the spacecraft to the vicinity of the moon by following a Lunar Transfer Trajectory (LTT) path, whose apogee lies at 3,87,000 km.

Later, when Chandrayaan-1 reaches the vicinity of the moon, its LAM would be fired again so as to slow down the spacecraft sufficiently to enable the gravity of the moon to capture it into an elliptical orbit. The next step would be to reduce the height of the spacecraft orbit around the moon in various steps.
After some more procedures, Chandrayaan-1's orbit would be finally lowered to its intended 100 km height from the lunar surface, which was expected to take place around November 8.

Later, the Moon Impact Probe would be ejected from Chandrayaan-1 in a chosen area following which the cameras and other payloads would be turned on and thoroughly tested, marking the operational phase of the mission.

"Fortunately, we had clear skies today and we would be completing the remaining part of the journey within 15 days," Nair said.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 03:45 AM

After launch, action shifts to Bangalore centre

Once the launch is done at Sriharikota, Peenya in Bangalore will take over Chandrayaan-I — the spacecraft and mission.

Hectic activity is on at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (Istrac) at Peenya, which will be the country's nerve-centre for tracking and controlling Chandrayaan-I for the next two years.

Peenya will receive the first signals from the spacecraft 17 minutes after take-off, when the fourth stage of the rocket separates and injects the spacecraft into Earth's orbit. From the 17th minute to the very last day of the spacecraft's life — two years from now — ISTRAC will be in command.

The Deep Space Network (DSN) at Byalalu will join ISTRAC in tracking the spacecraft six hours after take-off. Both DSN and ISTRAC will act as back-up stations for each other, with ISTRAC concentrating on the data flow from the spacecraft, and DSN helping in reception of the radio signals owing to its powerful 32-metre antenna. But ISTRAC will be the primary agency tracking the craft.

The control centre at ISTRAC has about 350 people monitoring the health of Indian satellites. While there are groups designated for specific satellites, any member from any group could be called upon to help with Chandrayaan.

On Tuesday, engineers at ISTRAC were busy running last-minute checks on simulators, communication links, quality of links, verifying operations of systems and testing for 100% accuracy in reception, flow and expression of data. ISTRAC deputy director Chiranjeevi said, "There is work every two-three seconds. We have to ensure that all systems are working to perfection."

Chiranjeevi said ISTRAC would receive the first signals from the spacecraft in the form of engineering units — data on computers. "There will be hundreds of such units flowing in. We will check the units for voltage on the craft, temperature, power, battery strength, orbit determination and orientation, fuel and general health of the spacecraft."

He said engineers will work in shifts to monitor Chandrayaan every minute for the next two years. "They sit in front of the computers and look at data flow based on which control commands are operated. But there are 2,000 parameters to check on and it would be humanly impossible to get engineers to monitor every one of them. So we have automatic software systems in place that will immediately alert us to any change in operations and sequence," Chiranjeevi explained.

"We can't get anything wrong. We have been maintaining satellites for the last 20 years and it would be the same with Chandrayaan," he added.

Posted by: MizarKey Oct 22 2008, 05:51 AM

I checked http://www.heavens-above.com but it didn't have any info on seeing Chandrayaan 1, does anyone know if it will be visible over North America?

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 06:45 AM

Some snaps of Launch

Posted by: ustrax Oct 22 2008, 06:48 AM

बधाई भारत के लिए इस उपलब्धि पर!

Not bad at Portuguese public channel news coverage...Chandrayaan I arrived right after Champions League and global economic crisis.
Clean and with no mistakes, with a focus on Helium-3.

Posted by: Rakhir Oct 22 2008, 06:51 AM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 22 2008, 07:45 AM)

Some snaps of Launch

Posted by: PhilCo126 Oct 22 2008, 07:08 AM

Excellent replies, nice videos by Doug !
Good report by BBC

Anyway, I would like to have some book info:
Destination Moon by Pallava Bagla (India)

Does it describe Chandrayaan-1 and -2?
Does anybody have ISBN number?

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 08:26 AM

QUOTE (Rakhir @ Oct 22 2008, 12:21 PM)

Hi Bhas,

your first picture seems to be a night Sea Launch

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 08:30 AM

QUOTE (PhilCo126 @ Oct 22 2008, 12:38 PM)

Excellent replies, nice videos by Doug !
Good report by BBC

Anyway, I would like to have some book info:
Destination Moon by Pallava Bagla (India)

Does it describe Chandrayaan-1 and -2?
Does anybody have ISBN number?

Posted by: mps Oct 22 2008, 09:03 AM

For those who like compare numbers (like I do), here is some data about recent/near future lunar probes:


s/c ; mass in lunar orbit ; lunar orbit ; imager resolution

SMART-1 ; 370 kg ; 2300 x 4500 km polar ; 80 m/pix
Kaguya ; 2885 kg ; 100 km polar ; 10 m/pix
Chang'e-1 ; ?* ; 200 km polar** ; 120 m/pix
Chandrayaan-1 ; 590 kg ; 100 km polar ; 5 m/pix
LRO ; 1823 kg ; 50 km polar ; 0.5 m/pix


* Chang'e-1 mass is according to Wikipedia 2350 kg, but I don't know if it is launch mass or mass in lunar orbit

** inclination ca 90 deg according to http://150.197.1.105:10000/KariWeb/fulltext1/05_1/515.pdf
but ca 64 deg according to Wikipedia

Sources:
presentations from LRO Project Science Working Group Meeting November 28, 2006 (sorry, can't find them online right now, but the link is somewhere in UMSF.com)
http://150.197.1.105:10000/KariWeb/fulltext1/05_1/515.pdf
Wikipedia

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 09:51 AM

‘Once Chandrayaan goes near the moon, we will be there to track it’
Full Story : http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/22/stories/2008102255641100.htm
Has more information about IDSN.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Oct 22 2008, 11:00 AM

There was a huge press-conference here, in Bulgaria. Please, be patient - I'm going to publish some interesting information about the mission.

Doug, Stu - was there a press-conference in England about the mission and the UK-built instrument?

Posted by: djellison Oct 22 2008, 12:35 PM

There was going to be : http://www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/c1xs/C1_Launch.htm - however, it was cancelled. (I was going to attend that ) There was an 1000 meeting, but I couldn't make that. I've not seen anything on the media -( apart from very short pieces just showing the launch )

Doug

Posted by: Zvezdichko Oct 22 2008, 12:54 PM

And some interesting data:

It was estimated that Bulgaria spent 60 000 Bulgarian levs on RADOM-7. I can't say for sure, but it's about $40000! Compare this to the instruments of NASA and ESA. RADOM-7 is one of the cheapest instruments aboard Chandrayaan-1.

When I asked when the instrument is going to be switched on, they said that it depends on the Indian coleagues. But we expect that it will be switched on when we pass the Van Allen belts. Then we hope to collect information about the radiation levels during the trip to the Moon and in lunar orbit.

RADOM-7 is a successor of several other instruments which were flying aboard Mir and ISS, but this is about manned exploration and I will stop here. However I will say that our results are often cited in international scientific journals and that's why our participation aboard Chandrayaan-1 must not surprise anybody.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 01:38 PM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Oct 22 2008, 07:11 AM)

Posted by: Phil Stooke Oct 22 2008, 01:51 PM

Hi - the target is important. The nominal descent trajectory has to intersect the surface somewhere, so the first question is, where is that point? But where it is is very important for another reason - if you are taking images on the way down, the area to be imaged has to be illuminated, and that's a big issue at the poles. My point is that there must be a precise target, though it might not have been publicly announced yet.

Phil

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 22 2008, 02:03 PM

Antennae turn to Chandrayaan - From "The Hindu"

Training their gaze on India’s maiden moon launch on Wednesday are antennae at Mauritius, Brunei, Biak (Indonesia) and Bearslake (Russia), Goldstone, Maryland, Hawaii (U.S.), Brazil, Russia, Lucknow, Sriharikota, Thiruvananthapuram, Port Blair and, of course, the giant antennae at Byalalu, which will feed ISTRAC with telemetric information on the health of Chandrayaan.
....
“For the first 48 hours we will be receiving telemetry data on the health of the satellite from all these stations. Typically these stations have 10 metre antennae which are sufficient to track the satellite at this stage,” said O. Chiranjeevi, Group Director, ISTRAC. The antennae at Byalalu will begin to pick up signals within six hours after its launch, said Dr. Shivakumar. The Indian Deep Space Network Facility includes two antennae – a 32 metre one and an 18 metre one. However, the true work of these antennae will begin later once the satellite reaches a distance of over one lakh kilometres in a couple of days".

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Oct 22 2008, 07:21 PM)

Posted by: PhilCo126 Oct 22 2008, 05:03 PM

Hi Bhas,

thanks for the information on the " Destination Moon " book but in Your post # 65, the drawing shows a GSLV launch vehicle
(Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle)

Compare with:

Posted by: Enceladus75 Oct 23 2008, 12:51 AM

I think that this is a fanstatic achievement for India. This mission will really give their aerospace, science and engineering sectors a real boost and further the development of the country.

Will the probe be able to photograph surface features with the same resolution os the planned LRO? It would be great if we could discern some of the Apollo landing sites. Also, what are India's long-term plans with respect to the Moon? I very much hope that this is the beginning of a whole range of exploratory missions.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 01:29 AM

Interesting Update
=============

Why ISRO changed the orbit-transfer strategy - From Hindu

The revised strategy will have five earth-bound orbits
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had earlier planned two earth-bound orbits for the spacecraft before it moved towards the moon. Much like in the case of the earth orbits, two lunar orbits were planned for before the spacecraft reached the final lunar orbit destination — circular orbit of about 100 km from the moon’s surface.
But ISRO had revised the orbit-transfer strategy. In the revised strategy, there will be five earth-bound orbits. The first orbit will have an apogee (farthest point from the earth) of 23,000 km and perigee of 255 km.

Increasing apogees
The second orbit will have an apogee of about 1,60,000 km and the third orbit will have an apogee of about 2,60,000 km. The fourth earth-bound orbit will have an apogee of about 3,87,000 km. It will take about 11 days to complete the fourth earth-bound orbit. During the fifth earth-bound orbit, which will have an apogee of about 3,84,000 km, the spacecraft will approach the moon’s North pole at a safe distance of a few hundred kilometres.

To calibrate the systems
“Basically, we wanted to calibrate our systems, such as the ground tracking system. When we get out of earth’s influence [gravity], there will be an influence of other planets, sun and moon’s gravity. We have theoretical knowledge of this influence. But getting actual data will be more useful to calibrate our systems,” said Dr. Madhavan Nair, Chairman of ISRO.
“The fourth and fifth orbits go up to the final point before it [the spacecraft] comes back. So this will help us to calibrate the systems better,” he said.
“[The earth-bound orbits] will tell us how far our assumptions and models are correct,” Dr. Nair said.

To avoid errors
The earlier orbit-transfer strategy involving just two earth-bound orbits would have also provided the essential data. “When we do it [in fewer and smaller orbits] in a short period, we have to evaluate all the parameters in a shorter time. So some errors can arise,” said Dr. Nair, explaining why the orbit-transfer strategy was changed.
In the revised strategy, there will be two lunar orbits before the spacecraft reaches the final circular orbit of about 100 km from the moon’s surface.
But will the revised strategy, which will involve longer period in space before it reaches its final destination, lead to more fuel consumption and hence affect the total mission duration? “The fuel consumption will be the same and the mission life will also be the same,” he stressed.

== So, Ideally it should have taken 5.5 days to reach moon. and I was wandering why we have to wait close to 2 weeks to get data... Now we know.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 01:46 AM

Byalalu tunes in to moon mission - From Hindu

Bangalore: At 1.20 p.m., exactly seven hours after the launch of Chandrayaan 1 from Sriharikota, the giant saucer-shaped antennae, standing out conspicuously amid the stark landscape of Byalalu village near Bangalore, began to rotate gently as it picked up the first signals from the lunar spacecraft.

On a rainy Wednesday afternoon the mood at the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) here was celebratory as scientists received data from the parabolic antennae indicating that Chandrayaan I was in good health and on track. The 20 space scientists at the IDSN who had kept awake through Tuesday night in preparation for this moment applauded and shook hands as the first signal flickered on the telemetry monitors. “Everything worked out just perfectly and we received the data exactly as scheduled,” said L. Srinivasan, General Manager of ISRO’s Bangalore Telemetry, Tracking and Command Facility.Not far, a much larger group of scientists at the mission’s nerve centre, ISTRAC (ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network), analysed the telemetric data from Byalalu sent through a communication link.

“For the next four or five days, Chandrayaan will be tracked by several small antennae around the world. After this period, when the satellite crosses one lakh kilometres, only three ground stations with large antennae will track it: those at Byalalu, Maryland and Canberra,” said Mr. Srinivasan.

The Byalalu centre will be one of only two ground stations by the time the payload data from the 11 experiments on board comes in, the other one being Maryland.....

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 03:12 AM

ISTRAC director S.K. Shivakumar says that
DSN got the first signals at 1.28pm yesterday.
and by that time spacecraft has already completed one orbit. (this is within 6.5hrs of launch).

also, It is now almost confirmed that Lunar orbit insertion must be done by Nov, 8th.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 03:30 AM

New Stories are slowly coming out...

When the Moon Mission had a major scare
A "small" fuel spill mishap when the Polar rocket with the Chandrayaan-I spacecraft atop was being fuelled created a near "scare" during the final countdown for the launch of India's maiden unmanned moon mission, ISRO Chief Madhavan Nair said.
This was revealed by Nair who earlier in the day spoke of how space scientists at the Sriharikota spaceport faced an "ordeal" after rains pounded the area and surrounding parts for nearly five days.
"Yesterday, we had a small mishap during filling operation when some of the fuel spilled over from one of the courses of the ground system and this created almost a scare," Nair said.
The ISRO chief also said launch personnel had to clear the "pad" and then carry out repairs before proceeding with the blast-off preparations.
"We had to take a tough decision as to how much of fuel had to be loaded, how much as to be unloaded and number of operations to be carried out simultaneously which we have never done earlier," he said.
"We lost 10 hours in the countdown yesterday due to inclement weather and almost lost the hope of making the launch. But working against all odds ISRO team has won the game," Nair said. North-East monsoon usually peaks over the eastern coast around this time of the year.
"It was an ordeal and never before we had such horrible weather just ahead of the launch date," he added.

Kudos to the team for "successful launch" in spite of these issues...

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 23 2008, 04:10 AM

I dropped in this evening on a social event being held in connection with a Cassini project science group meeting, and chatted with a scientist who's working on one of the American-contributed instruments. He was very pleased the launch went well, of course, and I said something like "Well, India's already proven they can do launches; I didn't worry too much about that, but I'm glad the spacecraft is on its way." He shook his head and said that the mission was so bent on getting Chandrayaan-1 launched on the stated date that although they went through all the testing -- shake and bake and so on -- that after they were done with the shake test they buttoned the thing up and shipped it off to the launch site before they had even analyzed the data from the prelaunch testing. They were in too much of a hurry to look at the data. Another scientist laughed and said "Well I guess as long as nothing fell off during the shake test they figured it was okay." Still, kind of scary! The first scientist said it's just about two weeks to orbit "and then the fire hose opens up" in terms of data.

--Emily

Posted by: mcaplinger Oct 23 2008, 04:25 AM

QUOTE (elakdawalla @ Oct 22 2008, 08:10 PM)

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 04:38 AM

as per new Orbit Transfer Strategy (Chandrayaan-I) ...

Earth Bound Orbits
1. Elliptical orbit - Perigee: 255km,
Apogee: 22,860km
2. Highly Elliptical orbit - Perigee: 300km
Apogee: 160000km
3. Intermediate transfer orbit - Perigee: 300km
Apogee: 2,60,000km
4. Extremely high elliptical orbit: Perigee: 300km
Apogee: 3,87,000km
5. Extremely high elliptical orbit: Perigee: 2000km
Apogee: 3,84,000km

Moon Bound Orbits
1. Lunar orbit 1 - Perigee: 500km
Apogee: 5000km
2. Lunar orbit 2 - Perigee: 100km
Apogee: 5000km
3. Lunar orbit 3 - Perigee: 100km
Apogee: 100km

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 09:23 AM

Chandrayaan-1, India's first lunar orbiter, continued its long journey to the moon as operations planned by the
Indian Space Research Organisation scientists for raising its orbit went on satisfactorily on Thursday.....
The health of the spacecraft is normal seems to be normal.
The orbit-raising operations were carried out by scientists at ISRO's (ISTRAC) along with experts from ISRO centres.

Posted by: mps Oct 23 2008, 10:31 AM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 23 2008, 12:23 PM)

Posted by: ugordan Oct 23 2008, 10:35 AM

These aren't western PR folks, though.

Posted by: djellison Oct 23 2008, 11:35 AM

English is a second language for the C1 team - and to be honest, I think they're doing an awesome job of it so far.

Doug

Posted by: ugordan Oct 23 2008, 11:44 AM

Indeed. It's also probably a cultural difference thing.

Posted by: ngunn Oct 23 2008, 11:56 AM

Ha!-I noticed this too. It makes you realise how we're twisting and mangling our own language. When exactly did 'satisfactory' come to mean 'just a whisker off disastrous'? Indeed it's refreshing to go to India or Pakistan and hear english words still being used properly.

Posted by: rlorenz Oct 23 2008, 12:05 PM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 22 2008, 08:29 PM)

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 12:49 PM

QUOTE (rlorenz @ Oct 23 2008, 05:35 PM)

Posted by: charborob Oct 23 2008, 01:16 PM

Do we have any idea of ISRO's policy concerning the release of images to the public? I hope we will have access to the Chandrayaan-1 images, because I'm a bit frustrated by the low rate of release of the Kaguya images, not to mention Chang-e. I wonder if that last probe is still doing its thing up there, because we haven't had news for a long time.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 23 2008, 01:23 PM

QUOTE (charborob @ Oct 23 2008, 06:46 PM)

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 23 2008, 06:00 PM

There's an http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Oct23_2008.htm stating they just raised the orbit to 37,900 km, which doesn't match your numbers, Bhas. Could you post links to where you're getting your information?

--Emily

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 24 2008, 03:25 AM

QUOTE (elakdawalla @ Oct 23 2008, 11:30 PM)

Posted by: sssalvi Oct 24 2008, 06:28 AM

There was a news item in Indian papers :

( Emily, ISRO website always gives a delayed reporting )

The LAM would be fired again on Friday (October 24) morning ( India time ) to take the spacecraft to an apogee of 73,000 km and a perigee of 300 km.

Hopefully they have done it by now.

Really speaking till this time it was in fact a more or less a routine launch of PSLV.
( PSLV has earlier launched satellites along equator apart from its intended application of Polar launches. Putting Chandrayaan in 305kms x 37900 kms is similar to a GTO transfer orbit. Such a maneuver was done earlier also using a PSLV )




----------
- SSSalvi

Posted by: mps Oct 24 2008, 06:29 AM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 23 2008, 03:49 PM)

Posted by: Zvezdichko Oct 25 2008, 03:40 PM

http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Oct25_2008a.htm

Chandrayaan's orbit raised further.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Oct 26 2008, 07:46 AM

http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Oct26_2008.htm - Chandrayaan-1 enters deep space.

Posted by: Hungry4info Oct 26 2008, 05:34 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Oct 26 2008, 02:46 AM)

Posted by: Zvezdichko Oct 26 2008, 07:02 PM

According to the last publication:

Posted by: Zvezdichko Oct 29 2008, 11:41 AM

http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Oct29_2008.htm - closer to the Moon.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 31 2008, 02:41 PM

The Terrain Mapping camera (TMC) on board Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft was successfully operated on October 29, 2008
Link: http://isro.org/pressrelease/Oct31_2008.htm - Chandrayaan-1 Camera Tested

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 31 2008, 02:44 PM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 31 2008, 08:11 PM)

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 31 2008, 02:46 PM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Oct 31 2008, 08:14 PM)

The Photos of Earth Taken by TMC

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Oct 31 2008, 02:52 PM

It seems Next (and last?) orbit raising maneuver is scheduled for Nov, 3rd.

Posted by: Hungry4info Oct 31 2008, 08:06 PM

Ah very nice pictures!

Posted by: elakdawalla Oct 31 2008, 10:03 PM

OK, before I post about this one, I need a reality check. Remember how when Rosetta flew by Earth and returned a lovely Earth photo, it was published reversed (flipped right for left) -- see discussion http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=4709&view=findpost&p=104389? Well, if I am not mistaken, the whole-Earth image from Chandrayaan-1 is also flipped right for left. Compare the cloud patterns over Australia to this photo, taken about an hour earlier, by MTSAT-1R, the geostationary satellite operated by Japan:

Posted by: ugordan Oct 31 2008, 10:24 PM

Well, I'll say this: ONE of them sure appears to be the wrong way around!

Seriously, mistaking left - right, or even worse, which way the illumination *ought* to come from is hilarious.

Posted by: Hungry4info Oct 31 2008, 11:14 PM

QUOTE (elakdawalla @ Oct 31 2008, 04:03 PM)

...Compare the cloud patterns over Australia to this photo, taken about an hour earlier, by MTSAT-1R, the geostationary satellite operated by Japan:

Posted by: elakdawalla Nov 1 2008, 12:05 AM

Here's a jumping-off point for images of Earth from geostationary satellites:
http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/our_solar_system/earth/geostationary.html

--Emily

Posted by: Juramike Nov 1 2008, 12:55 AM

Also check out this thread: http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=4005

Posted by: Vultur Nov 3 2008, 04:23 AM

Is it scheduled to raise orbit tomorrow (today, on the other side of the Atlantic)?

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 3 2008, 07:37 AM

Update

"The liquid apogee motor (LAM) on board will be fired around 5.00 am on Tuesday (IST) for about five minutes to make the transition and position the spacecraft at about 500 km from the moon's surface and over 384,000 km away from the earth," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) director S. Satish said.

"Additional velocity will be given to the spacecraft to enter the lunar orbit Saturday (November 8) for a rendezvous with the moon. With calibrated firing of its LAMs, it will be inserted into its designated orbit, which will be about 100 km from the lunar surface," Satish said.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 3 2008, 09:25 AM

Will you please provide us with links when you quote?

Posted by: mps Nov 3 2008, 07:10 PM

Google'd it, found it.
There are actual several sources, one of them:
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-39680.html

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 4 2008, 06:45 AM

Chandrayaan-1 enters Lunar Transfer Trajectory

The fifth and final orbit raising manoeuvre of Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft was successfully carried out today (November 4, 2008) morning at 04:56 am IST.
During this manoeuvre, the spacecraft’s 440 Newton liquid engine was fired for about two and a half minutes. With this, Chandrayaan-1 entered the Lunar Transfer Trajectory with an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of about 380,000 km (three lakh eighty thousand km).

Link: http://isro.org/pressrelease/Nov04_2008.htm

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 4 2008, 01:44 PM

Informative interview about Indian Deep Space Network that is being used to track Chandrayaan-I

Link : http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/stories/20081121252302000.htm

Posted by: Floyd Nov 4 2008, 06:05 PM

Bhas
The creation of the deep space network and the launch of Chandrayaan-1 is all extremely impressive. Good luck on moon orbital insertion. I'll then be looking forward to exciting science data.
-Floyd

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 5 2008, 03:34 AM

Full inline quote removed - Admin

Thanks Floyd.
Good to see JAXA (Selene) and ESA (Rosetta) letting IDSN to track their satellite/probe.

Posted by: shankar Nov 6 2008, 04:40 PM

The link below has some details of the terrain mapping camera
onboard chandrayaan-1.

http://www.hindu.com/seta/2008/11/06/stories/2008110650031400.htm

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 8 2008, 08:43 AM

http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?tp=on&autono=49185

In one of the most crucial manoeuvres since the launch of India's maiden moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, ISRO scientists are slated to inject the spacecraft into the lunar orbit today.


"The lunar orbit insertion (LOI) will start around 5 p.M. and last around 800 seconds," ISRO spokesperson S Satish told PTI here.

Once the operation is completed, it will be in a 7,500 km X 500 km elliptical orbit around the moon.

"It (Chandrayaan-1) will enter the moon's orbit. It will be captured by lunar gravity," Satish said.

Chandrayaan-1 was launched from the spaceport of Sriharikota on October 22

Posted by: jabe Nov 8 2008, 12:45 PM

looks like a http://isro.org/pressrelease/Nov08_2008.htm

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 8 2008, 12:52 PM

I noticed this one:

Posted by: jabe Nov 8 2008, 01:06 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Nov 8 2008, 01:52 PM)

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 8 2008, 01:09 PM

I do hope ISRO won't follow the course of China with almost no information.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 8 2008, 01:52 PM

Now in orbit... and this is the story about the pictures:

http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/06/stories/2008110651691300.htm

India is very different from China in that (among countless other differences) it has a vibrant free press. Much more news can be expected, but maybe not the 'picture of the day' we would like.

Phil

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 8 2008, 02:07 PM

That's probably true, but anyway, I feel very frustrated. We have thousands of publications that TMC has started imaging the Moon, but none of the pictures are piblished.

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 8 2008, 05:42 PM

ISRO generally takes a few days to make public the images from any S/C. Even for their IRS series which images Earth it takes about 3 to 4 days.

Posted by: Vultur Nov 8 2008, 11:03 PM

Lunar orbit achieved, congratulations ISRO!

I'm looking forward to the pictures...

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 9 2008, 03:50 AM

India’s Moon mission a big success

Has a pciture "A TV grab of the Moon sent by Chandrayaan-1 on November 4."
http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/09/stories/2008110960640100.htm

and other links
http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/09/stories/2008110955710800.htm
http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/09/stories/2008110959790800.htm
http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/09/stories/2008110959740800.htm

Above links has info like ....

"Asked why the operation happened about half an hour earlier than the originally expected time of 17:30 hrs, Mr. Annadurai said the actual solar radiation pressure on the satellite — something which is only an estimate based on modelling — required that the torque to be applied on the satellite using the on-board momentum wheels to achieve the correct orientation was less than anticipated. Since the correct orientation could be achieved a little before 17:00 hrs itself and the position of the spacecraft was also correctly above the north-pole, the firing was carried out earlier, he said."

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 9 2008, 06:34 PM

What a beauty!



Image taken from here: http://raakshaseeyam.blogspot.com/2008/11/chandrayaan-1-takes-moons-pictures.html

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 9 2008, 08:00 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Nov 9 2008, 12:34 PM)

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 9 2008, 10:07 PM

Yes... and also, this was probably a cellphone photo of a TV screen, not the original data!

Phil

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 10 2008, 05:56 AM

Chandrayaan orbital: height reduced

..... the periselene was reduced to 200 km on Sunday. The aposelene continues at 7,500 km.....

Link: http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/10/stories/2008111058230100.htm

Posted by: shankar Nov 10 2008, 03:26 PM

First orbital reduction of chandrayaan-1 achieved.


http://isro.org/pressrelease/Nov10_2008.htm

This is the first of the five orbit reductions before chandrayaan-1
settles into 100 * 100 km final orbit. Considering that the MIP
is planned to be released on nov-15 that means we can expect
one orbit reduction everyday till nov-14.

On a side note November-14 is celebrated in India as children's day.

Posted by: SpaceListener Nov 10 2008, 07:18 PM

QUOTE (Bhas_From_India @ Nov 9 2008, 11:56 PM)

• The aposelene's height: Reduce speed of Chandrayaan when it approaches to periselene.
• The periselene's height: Reduce speed of Chandrayaan when it approaches to apolesene

Posted by: remcook Nov 10 2008, 07:31 PM

That's the simplest way to do it, yes.

Posted by: ugordan Nov 10 2008, 07:50 PM

QUOTE (remcook @ Nov 10 2008, 08:31 PM)

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 10 2008, 10:20 PM

http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/11/stories/2008111161161000.htm

Getting closer to the final orbit and ejection of MIP. A diagram I have seen suggests that the MIP camera faces downwards rather than slightly forwards, so it would not image its exact impact point. In that respect it would be like Ranger 8 rather than Rangers 7 and 9.

Phil

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 11 2008, 02:44 PM

Chandrayaan 1 - new images website up:

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/moon_images.htm

This will be the site to check for future goodies.

Phil

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 11 2008, 04:25 PM

Chandrayaan-1 gets further closer to moon

Bangalore (PTI): Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft on Tuesday moved closer to the Moon with ISRO scientists carrying out orbit reduction manoeuvre at 18:30 hours for a duration of 31 seconds.

"The current orbit of Chandrayaan-1 is 255.3 km (the farthest distance from the moon) X 101.3 km (nearest distance to the moon). The orbital period is 2.09 hours", ISRO spokesperson S Satish told PTI.

Further manoeuvres are planned in the coming days to bring the spacecraft to its final circular orbit of 100 kms above the moon's surface, Satish said.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 12 2008, 02:49 AM

Moon probe ejection on November 14 or 15

ISRO will study Chandrayaan-1’s orbit for a day or two before commanding to eject on November 14 or 15 the 29-kg Moon Impact Probe (MIP), a box-like instrument on top of the spacecraft. The probe will crash-land on the Moon’s surface. Since the MIP is painted with the Indian flag on its sides, it will symbolically register the Indian presence on the Moon.

>>> Would the paint stick to it all the way down and after impact???

S. Satish, Director, Publications and Public Relations, ISRO, said: “The ISRO team was very cautious in executing this critical manoeuvre because we did not want to jeopardise the mission. This is a precious mission for us. Contingency plans were in place in case the liquid apogee motor (LAM) engine on board Chandrayaan-1 did not fire. Then, we would have used other thrusters on board the spacecraft to fire… There have been dynamic changes in our manoeuvres to reach the Moon.”

Link: http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/11/stories/2008111161161000.htm

Posted by: callisto Nov 12 2008, 06:15 PM

Chandrayaan has entered into into a orbit which is 102 kms above moons surface,very close to final orbit.
the details are in this article.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chandrayaan-I_in_final_lunar_orbit/articleshow/3705426.cms

Posted by: Enceladus75 Nov 12 2008, 06:26 PM

Will images of the Moon's surface be released by ISRO soon? I'm looking forward to seeing these.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 13 2008, 04:09 AM

"When the probe hits the surface, it is expected to kick up a huge amount of dust that will be analysed by instruments on the Chandrayaan orbiter."

This is from New Scientist.

I've heard nothing about any plans by amateurs or professionals to try to observe this event. Anybody else heard anything? It's not a huge probe, so I doubt if the cloud will be as huge as they suggest, and chances are nothing could be observed, but you never know. SMART-1 was seen by a big telescope, but it was in the dark and seen in IR. This will be in the light.

Phil

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 13 2008, 10:00 AM

A little more details on MIP with a possible timetag: ( about 1630GMT on 14/NOV )

Posted by: djellison Nov 13 2008, 11:27 AM

Two seconds, to 75m/sec?

Orbital velocity at the moon at 100km is about 1.6km/sec

Getting from 1600 to 75m/sec in 2 seconds is 762.5 m/s/s - or 77.7G.

Langauge barrier alert - I think they meant slow it BY 75m/sec (which, in 2 seconds, would be roughly 4 G, a small solid motor would do that fine).

Slow the orbit BY 75m/sec - from 1630m/sec to 1555m/sec - would result in an impact about 20 minutes later, at a velocity of around 1650m/sec - with a vertical element of approx 140m/sec (all simualted using Orbiter, the free space flight simulator)

I find it a little unlikely that the probe will, in any way, survive the process.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 13 2008, 02:42 PM

Chandrayaan-1 Successfully Reaches its Operational Lunar Orbit

Today, Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft has successfully reached its intended operational orbit at a height of about 100 km from the lunar surface.

Link: http://isro.org/pressrelease/Nov12_2008.htm

Posted by: MahFL Nov 13 2008, 02:56 PM

Excellent.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 13 2008, 09:08 PM

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Tricolour_has_a_date_with_moon_tonight/articleshow/3710598.cms

More information on the MIP impact.

To add a little to it, Chandrayaan will be orbiting roughly over the prime meridian, moving from north to south. The probe is released near the equator and descends to an impact at the south pole, transmitting its data to the main orbiter. Images are taken at intervals - it's not video, as some reports suggest. We can expect good images from the lower altitudes, maybe including a glimpse of 'Malapert Mountain' as it flies over it. Malapert was an earlier candidate for the impact target, but now it should fly over it at low elevation and strike the rim of Shackleton. I don't know how accurately the descent trajectory can be predicted. After impact the orbiter disappears around the far side, and transmits its data back to Earth after it reappears.

Phil

Posted by: SpaceListener Nov 14 2008, 12:12 AM

Thanks Phil for your comments. The thing that I am convinced is that MIP has no lateral thrusters to correct the trajectory which would lead less impact target accuracy. Does anyone know about their probable impact elliptic?

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 14 2008, 04:25 AM

Looks like MIP will be released 8.03pm or 8.04 pm (IST) To night.
and It is expected to hit the lunar surface at around 8:30pm.

Posted by: shankar Nov 14 2008, 07:16 AM

QUOTE (SpaceListener @ Nov 14 2008, 01:12 AM)

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 14 2008, 08:08 AM

Here is a possible timeline for MIP drop:

1. Launch from Mother craft : 14:33 to 14:34 GMT
2. It will fly over the Malapert crater for about nine seconds.
3. Landing of Probe on Moon : Around 1500Hrs GMT near the Shackleton Crater ... velocity at the time of impact is abput 1.5Km/sec.

The Mothership( CY1 ) will collect the data from probe but it will not be visible to Earth because it will be behind the moon when it collects the data.

So the data will be downloaded when the Mothership re-emerges from near North Pole from behind the moon after half orbit period.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 02:57 PM

Twitter says that we had a good ejection:

http://twitter.com/Chandrayaan1

Pictures of MIP will be released by tomorrow.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 03:03 PM

And update: We have impact of MIP. Mission accomplished. India becomes 4th nation to land on lunar surface!!!

Congrats, ISRO!

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 04:44 PM

Another update on Twitter: Prelimitary results show that MIP has survived, I repeat, SURVIVED the landing!

Yet another update: They are getting "mixed info". I do not know what it means, but if MIP survived the landing, it will be the first spacecraft operating on the lunar surface since Luna 24.

Posted by: Ken90000 Nov 14 2008, 04:55 PM

First, thanks for keeping us up to date.

Is this true? I was not aware there was there even a remote chance of it surviving the impact. It is kind of like one of the Ranger’s surviving!

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 05:00 PM

Ken, I heard rumours that the lander may survive the landing. I also thought it's impossible...Still waiting for official statement. I'm holding my breath

Posted by: centsworth_II Nov 14 2008, 05:01 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Nov 14 2008, 11:44 AM)

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 14 2008, 05:04 PM

Excitement.

I do hope that this turns out to be true. I'm not going to hold my breath though, I would think it'd be pretty rough on a spacecraft to hit the lunar surface at such a velocity. But I can hope. Any idea when we'll receive confirmation? Minutes? hours?

And if the probe survived, what could it possibly do on the lunar surface? I wouldn't think there's much you can do with a spacecraft that smacked into the moon at orbital speed, but if there's a functional probe on the moon now, I want pictures, haha.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 05:06 PM

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 14 2008, 05:08 PM

Makes sense, thanks!

Posted by: Ken90000 Nov 14 2008, 05:22 PM

How fast was it travelling? According to that link, it hit the moon at 1.6 KM / Hr. That is how fast I drive to work in the morning. I assumed it was traveling much faster. Perhaps it did survive.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 05:23 PM

http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Nov14_2008.htm - Here's the official statement by ISRO.

Update: They answered me here: http://twitter.com/Chandrayaan1 . Unfortunately MIP died upon impact

Posted by: Ken90000 Nov 14 2008, 06:04 PM

Well, it was a fun thought while it lasted. Now, we can look forward to the imges!

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 06:10 PM

There are still sources that report that "they got signal after it landed on the Moon":

http://www.care2.com/news/member/576059368/951900

but most probably they are wrong

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 14 2008, 06:12 PM

QUOTE (Ken90000 @ Nov 14 2008, 12:04 PM)

Posted by: imipak Nov 14 2008, 07:04 PM

And let's hear it for the http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7730157.stm (still up at the time of writing):

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 07:06 PM

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/imagesfromchandrayaan/VIS_2936.bmp

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/imagesfromchandrayaan/VIS_2904.bmp

These are the first images

Posted by: climber Nov 14 2008, 07:29 PM

You could have told me these image were from Saturnian sattelites, I'd have believed you.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 07:36 PM

Saturnian satellites are quite different, climber! This is our own satellite, the Moon, the Luna...

EDIT : I did some basic editing of the second image (removed noise, sharpened it a bit)... IMO it looks better now.

Posted by: Stu Nov 14 2008, 08:07 PM

You're doing a great job keeping us updated on this mission, Z, thanks

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 14 2008, 08:47 PM

Thanks, Stu, for the encouragement. My English is not fluent, but anyway, doing my best!

Posted by: Bernard Nov 14 2008, 08:52 PM

Thanks a lot,
it was like being there

Posted by: climber Nov 14 2008, 08:58 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Nov 14 2008, 08:36 PM)

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 14 2008, 09:06 PM

Yes, Zvezdichko, you are doing great, and I am very thankful for you keeping us updated. If it weren't for you, I would literally be unaware of this mission's progress.

Posted by: djellison Nov 14 2008, 09:38 PM

QUOTE (Ken90000 @ Nov 14 2008, 05:22 PM)

Posted by: Ken90000 Nov 14 2008, 09:45 PM

Yes, a mile a second makes much more sense to me. It never had a chance of surviving impact.

Posted by: jumpjack Nov 15 2008, 01:20 PM

not yet any image of the impact from the orbiter?

Posted by: callisto Nov 15 2008, 03:28 PM

Firstly thanks Z for keeping us all in the know about chandrayaan.Isro has done a very good job,everything has gone perfectly.
I have some questions and i would be grateful if anyone can answer them.
Can anyone tell me what was the resolution of the camera carried by MIP?
At what altitude were the pics taken?

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 15 2008, 03:53 PM

Unfortunately there's no information available on the ISRO website about the parameters of the camera. The images taken yesterday are raw data, there's no information about the height, too...

If I find some information, I'll post it here.

Posted by: callisto Nov 15 2008, 04:04 PM

thanks z...there is this other forum you might want to check out.
http://www.chandrayaan-i.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3
Newspaper reports have indicated the probe has impacted near the shackleton crater may be near the rim.

Posted by: callisto Nov 16 2008, 05:04 AM

Well it seems that the camera onboard the MIP performed well.It has generated about 15000 video frames which is going to be turned into a movie showing the entire descent phase of the probe.
Here is the article.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/11/16/stories/2008111651160300.htm

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 16 2008, 11:16 AM

http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Nov16_2008.htm - LASER instrument was switched ON.

Posted by: jumpjack Nov 16 2008, 11:22 AM

QUOTE (callisto @ Nov 16 2008, 06:04 AM)

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 16 2008, 11:52 AM

Some updates about Chandrayaan-1:

1. The Terrain Mapping Camera ( TMC ) , one of 11 payloads on board Chandrayaan,has been capturing images of the Moon since November 13 from a height of 100 km from the lunar surface. They will be processed by Monday,17th.

2.On Sunday , The Hyper Spectral Imager (HySI) would be switched on. It would create a mineralogical map of the lunar surface

3. The MIP, ( 2 images of which have been published ) is not really a video camera. It is a still picture camera clicking at high speed. It has actually returned about 15,000 images over the course of the 25-minute descent. This may be converted to a slow framed video later.


http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/16/stories/2008111656370800.htm

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 16 2008, 12:00 PM

Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument ( LLRI ) was switched ON when the spacecraft was passing over western part of the moon’s visible hemisphere.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 16 2008, 03:47 PM

New images published here:

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/moon_images.htm

Posted by: tedstryk Nov 16 2008, 04:51 PM

I am really impressed. 15,000 images from the MIP...wow. Between Chandrayaan-1, LRO, Kayuga, and Chang'e-1, this is getting fun.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 16 2008, 05:07 PM

http://www.zeenews.com/newspapers/2008-11-14/483333news.html


More on the impact target point, suggesting some uncertainty.

Phil

Posted by: dvandorn Nov 16 2008, 05:12 PM

You know, it was impressive when Chang'e and Kaguya both worked exactly as designed, no major malfunctions or problems. But for Chandrayan-1, with a much more challenging early mission profile (delivering an impact probe, relaying its information perfectly, and the impact probe itself working perfectly), and doing this all for the first time with no issues to speak of -- that is very, very impressive.

Hats off to all of our new partners in crime!

-the other Doug

Posted by: callisto Nov 16 2008, 06:04 PM

Considering that the chandrayaan carries one the highest resolution cameras ever to image the lunar surface, it would be fun if any of the apollo hardware or other the lunakhod rovers are pictured.

Posted by: djellison Nov 16 2008, 06:53 PM

5m/pixel isn't going to do anything amazing for surface hardware, except with long shadows. We've got 50cm/pixel coming next year anyway.

Doug

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 16 2008, 06:57 PM

We may have chance to see blast zones.'

Most people ask this question with hope that images will convince the hoax believers. No, these images won't convince them - they will always say that the images are doctored.

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 16 2008, 08:51 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Nov 16 2008, 12:57 PM)

Posted by: djellison Nov 16 2008, 09:25 PM

What they are, is unworthy of discussion at UMSF. Move on.

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 16 2008, 09:38 PM

QUOTE (djellison @ Nov 16 2008, 03:25 PM)

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 16 2008, 09:55 PM

My understanding is that they cover a strip from near the equator down to the impact point.

Phil

Posted by: elakdawalla Nov 16 2008, 10:55 PM

I was trying to line up the equatorial image with an LO image for context, but am having trouble. The caption to the equatorial image said " On the lower left, part of the Torricelli crater is seen. " Here's http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunar_orbiter/images/aimg/iv_077_h3.jpg (and here's the http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunar_orbiter/bin/info.shtml?181). The difference in lighting angle is confusing me, I think. Can anybody match it?

--Emily

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 16 2008, 11:54 PM

Emily - check out this map:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LAC/lac78/150dpi.jpg

and look for the crater Torricelli C, NW of Torricelli itself at 2.5 S, 26 E. That's the crater, not Torricelli itself. The proof comes from comparing it with this better version of your LO4 image:

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/lunarorbiter/images/print/4077_h3.jpg


Phil

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 17 2008, 04:55 PM

Check out the new video on the ISRO website:

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/videos/tmc.htm

Phil

Posted by: callisto Nov 17 2008, 05:33 PM

Where is the video??......the page is only displaying the text portion.......

Posted by: ugordan Nov 17 2008, 05:36 PM

It doesn't work with Firefox, try IE.

Posted by: charborob Nov 17 2008, 07:04 PM

It doen't seem to work with Safari either. Anyone on a Mac manage to see the video?

Posted by: Paolo Nov 17 2008, 07:09 PM

The direct link to the video is mms://msrv2.wstream.net/isro_archive/TMC01.wmv
copy and paste on your browser. It works for me with SeaMonkey on Mandriva

Posted by: centsworth_II Nov 17 2008, 07:41 PM

QUOTE (Paolo @ Nov 17 2008, 02:09 PM)

Posted by: djellison Nov 17 2008, 08:29 PM

I think it's 80 lines a second - pushbroom style. 5m/pixel, 20km wide = 4000 pixels width.

4000 pixels, 10 bits per pixel, 80 lines per second - 3.2 mbits/sec

Doug

Posted by: lyford Nov 17 2008, 08:56 PM

QUOTE (charborob @ Nov 17 2008, 11:04 AM)

Posted by: elakdawalla Nov 17 2008, 11:20 PM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Nov 16 2008, 03:54 PM)

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 18 2008, 02:10 AM

I aim to please.

Here's the video image set in one long strip, at very low resolution of course. This really is Moretus, as the caption says.

Phil

Posted by: nprev Nov 18 2008, 02:16 AM

My IE7 Windows Media player refuses to recognize the "mms://" protocol in the direct link & suggests others. Is there a cure?

Posted by: angel1801 Nov 18 2008, 04:38 AM

I tried the link and I get to the site page and I also see good quality moving video too. I use Microsoft IE 7 as my browser.

Posted by: nprev Nov 18 2008, 05:58 AM

Hmm...thanks. I'll try another machine, probably have a funky setting on this one.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 18 2008, 08:25 AM

Try this link for video
http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/nov/18video.htm
2:30mins

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 20 2008, 02:34 AM

Emily mentioned the number of frames MIP took on the descent - I have to admit I thought 13000 was high, but I suspect that the high value came from a statement that it could take images at a rate of 13000 frames/hour or something like that. Images were only taken for about 15 minutes, putting the actual number in the ballpark, a bit over 3000 frames.

I tried to find the locations of the two released frames without success. It's very difficult if you don't know the size of each frame to help the comparison. The one with several elongated gouges resembles an area near Cabaeus, but I don't have a match for it.

Phil

Posted by: nprev Nov 20 2008, 02:42 AM

Thank you, Bhas; that link worked perfectly! Congratulations on this achievement!

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 20 2008, 05:26 AM

QUOTE (nprev @ Nov 20 2008, 08:12 AM)

Thank you, Bhas; that link worked perfectly! Congratulations on this achievement!

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 20 2008, 01:58 PM

Was that movie from the impactor? Or from the orbiter?

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 20 2008, 01:59 PM

Orbiter.

Phil

Posted by: elakdawalla Nov 20 2008, 03:53 PM

I asked Spudis if he had any idea what the scale on the two MIP images was. He said that without knowing the frame numbers he couldn't be sure, but he hazarded a guess that the two released ones were taken between 80 and 85 degrees south latitude, which would put their widths at something between 4 and 12 kilometers, probably closer to the former.

--Emily

Posted by: SpaceListener Nov 20 2008, 05:15 PM

Are the only two shown pictures from MIP covers its impact zone? The MIP's impact site is outside of initially intended: Malapert Mountain at around 120 km north of Shackleton crater. The latest news says that MIP had impacted close to Shackleton crater with 19 km diameter.

At the bottom line, I am still looking forward in knowing where is Chandrayaan I.

Corrected.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 20 2008, 05:19 PM

I am considering a possible image ID: the frame showing a crater rim (VIS-2936) may be at 353 east, 83.8 south. Not certain yet. At 30 km/degree, that's about 180 km north of Shackleton.

Phil

(edit - image removed - it was a bit too far west - see post 261 below for the correct location)

Posted by: tedstryk Nov 21 2008, 04:01 PM

What are you using as a basemap?

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 21 2008, 04:12 PM

A comparison between Chandrayaan-1 and Clementine.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 21 2008, 05:17 PM

Ted, the base is Clementine UVVIS from Map-A-Planet.

Phil

Posted by: ArMaP Nov 21 2008, 09:37 PM

This is a comparison I made for another forum, it may not be scientificaly correct, but it shows the difference between Clementine and Chandrayaan 1's photos.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/105/bi73s352mz3.gif

According to some measurements I made, this photo (the Chandrayaan 1 photo) has a resolution of around 23 metres per pixel, but I may be wrong, can someone confirm or show the real value?

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 21 2008, 09:56 PM

I think it's correct...

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 22 2008, 02:39 AM

Anyone know when the MIP movie sequence will be released?

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 22 2008, 04:21 AM

Memo to ISRO and the Chandrayaan mission: the great outpouring of interest and support you received over the last few weeks will disappear very rapidly if you don't stoke it with frequent news and image releases. Don't repeat China's mistake.

Phil

Posted by: jumpjack Nov 22 2008, 11:14 AM

QUOTE (djellison @ Nov 16 2008, 07:53 PM)

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 22 2008, 11:21 AM

Don't you really know? LRO - Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter!

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 22 2008, 04:20 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Nov 22 2008, 05:21 AM)

Posted by: Ken90000 Nov 22 2008, 04:50 PM

And no dust storrms or clouds in the way!

Posted by: jumpjack Nov 22 2008, 05:09 PM

QUOTE (Ken90000 @ Nov 22 2008, 05:50 PM)

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 22 2008, 05:23 PM

QUOTE (jumpjack @ Nov 22 2008, 11:09 AM)

...which means images will be really boring... Big science interest for future missions... but just big&boring gray pictures.

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 22 2008, 05:24 PM

I don't know of an object in space that is boring.

Plus, there is some kind of dust circulation over there. The mechanism of this process should be studied.

Posted by: jumpjack Nov 22 2008, 05:29 PM

QUOTE (Hungry4info @ Nov 22 2008, 06:23 PM)

Good point. An interesting thought, spacecraft go to the moon, and what's one of the first things we want from them? Pictures of Earth.

Posted by: ugordan Nov 22 2008, 05:39 PM

QUOTE (jumpjack @ Nov 22 2008, 06:29 PM)

Posted by: Enceladus75 Nov 22 2008, 05:49 PM

The ISRO seem to be very slow in releasing images from Chandryaan 1 - can we see some more recent images please?!

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter should be able to image the Apollo landing sites with such detail to make out the Lander stage of the LMs and the rovers on the ground that the astronauts drove. Hopefully, that will help to silence the " we never really went to the Moon" brigade.

Posted by: djellison Nov 22 2008, 06:06 PM

QUOTE (Enceladus75 @ Nov 22 2008, 05:49 PM)

Posted by: ArMaP Nov 22 2008, 06:31 PM

QUOTE (jumpjack @ Nov 22 2008, 05:29 PM)

Who talked about Earth?!?
Just saying that on the Moon there's nothing interesting to see, if you're not a person directly involved in the project. Sand, sand, sand, hill, crater, sand, crater, hill.....

Posted by: callisto Nov 22 2008, 06:52 PM

Sigh wish we had Titan as our moon....................

Posted by: ugordan Nov 22 2008, 06:55 PM

QUOTE (callisto @ Nov 22 2008, 07:52 PM)

Posted by: ngunn Nov 22 2008, 07:04 PM

But that would be disastrous for Titan! Please don't bring it this close to the sun. I'd settle for Io though, if someone would like to arrange the swap.

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 23 2008, 12:55 AM

QUOTE (ngunn @ Nov 22 2008, 01:04 PM)

I'd settle for Io though, if someone would like to arrange the swap.

Posted by: callisto Nov 23 2008, 07:19 AM

Then you only have to go to your backyard to see Tvashtar erupting........

Posted by: callisto Nov 23 2008, 07:24 AM

Chandrayaan update:
http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/23/stories/2008112356660100.htm

Posted by: rlorenz Nov 23 2008, 12:39 PM

QUOTE (ngunn @ Nov 22 2008, 02:04 PM)

But that would be disastrous for Titan! Please don't bring it this close to the sun. I'd settle for Io though, if someone would like to arrange the swap.

Posted by: Reed Nov 23 2008, 11:35 PM

Unconfirmed reports that Chandrayaan I is facing http://raakshaseeyam.blogspot.com/2008/11/chandrayaan-1-faces-overheating-problem.html. Not surprising for a first mission to face some issues like this.

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 24 2008, 11:27 AM

The report says that it affected MIP. The MIP thing is already a history. It worked nicely and it acquired some 3000+ images. So 10 deg thing has not hampered the MIP.

The space qualified components should not get affected with just a 10 deg rise.. even the imaging array which IS sensitive to temp should work ok after cooling.. even at 10 deg higher temp it could give degraded S/N and not affect the resolution so at the most the dynamic range of brightness variation capture will be affected.

A serious problem does exist if the temperature rise is due to the operation of payload. however if the temp rise is due to solar heating in certain attidudes then the yaan can be cooled by reorientation and ISRO has ample experience of attending to such circumstances.

They should boldly tell what is the real problem.. and such things are excusable in the first attempt.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 24 2008, 06:32 PM

Eureka - I have located the MIP images on the Clementine basemap. I'm fairly confident these have to be correct. The spacecraft image track was right down the 14 degrees east meridian. My previous post, above, was too far to the west.

Phil

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 25 2008, 01:11 PM

Much more news now:

http://www.isro.org/Chandrayaan/htmls/ImageMoon.htm

Phil

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 25 2008, 02:20 PM

I'd like to add also: The first results from Bulgarian instrument aboard Chandrayaan-1 have been published!

http://www.isro.org/Chandrayaan/htmls/ImageMoon.htm

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 25 2008, 06:20 PM

Not so good... overheating is an issue.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7748611.stm

Phil

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 25 2008, 06:27 PM

So it really affected the orbiter, not MIP...

Posted by: SpaceListener Nov 26 2008, 12:39 AM

Just for curiosity, the Moon surface has the temperature of between 130-135 centigrades Celsius on the Equatorial line. Why the Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft surface has around of 50 centigrades Celsius? Is that temperature as an average since its orbit is polar (very hot on the sun face and very cold on the back).

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 26 2008, 02:05 AM

QUOTE (SpaceListener @ Nov 25 2008, 06:39 PM)

Posted by: nprev Nov 26 2008, 02:29 AM

They're picking up 1200W/m^2 from the Moon, and 1300 from the Sun??? That doesn't sound right, unless the Moon's albedo is a lot higher than I'd ever dreamed outside of visible wavelengths. Or, are we talking about waste heat from surface re-radiation as a contributing factor?

Posted by: sssalvi Nov 26 2008, 08:05 AM

QUOTE (Hungry4info @ Nov 26 2008, 07:35 AM)

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 26 2008, 08:23 AM

India published a second video of the Moon.

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/videos/tmca.htm

But I'm unable to open it

Posted by: Prakshepak Nov 26 2008, 08:45 AM

QUOTE (sssalvi @ Nov 26 2008, 12:05 AM)

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 26 2008, 08:46 AM

Thank you, it works with IE.

Posted by: Bhas_From_India Nov 26 2008, 09:10 AM

Good News...
Chandrayaan working normally: ISRO
Link: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/blnus/14261420.htm

Posted by: jamescanvin Nov 26 2008, 09:27 AM

That makes no sense.

"working normally" but also "not work on all the payloads at a given time"

"summer on the moon"

"temperature in the moon's atmosphere"

Never has such a short article confused me so much!

Posted by: Stu Nov 26 2008, 10:17 AM

QUOTE (jamescanvin @ Nov 26 2008, 09:27 AM)

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 26 2008, 04:55 PM

I'm not sure I buy into the idea that the lunar atmosphere is causing Chandrayaan-1's problems. The moon has a very low axial tilt, "summer" on the moon is probably quite similar to "winter". Doesn't Chandrayaan-1 orbit well above the lunar atmosphere anyway? And given how tenuous the atmosphere is, could it even really affect Chandrayaan-1's temperature if it were orbiting within it (assuming it didn't hit a mountain or something)?

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 26 2008, 05:22 PM

It's nothing to do with the atmosphere, or summer, or anything else that's been said like that. I don't know whether we are getting really bad journalism, or if ISRO is straining to explain things to an audience it thinks knows nothing about the subject, and straying into very weak explanations. Poor choice of analogy, or things like that.

Phil

Posted by: mcaplinger Nov 26 2008, 06:35 PM

QUOTE (nprev @ Nov 25 2008, 06:29 PM)

Posted by: mcaplinger Nov 26 2008, 06:42 PM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Nov 26 2008, 09:22 AM)

Posted by: jekbradbury Nov 26 2008, 08:23 PM

Here's an anaglyph made from the first bit of the new movie:

Posted by: Vultur Nov 27 2008, 06:38 AM

I really have no idea what that's trying to say - does the moon even have summer?

Posted by: Doc Nov 27 2008, 02:06 PM

I dont think this about lunar summer (whatever that is). This may simply be, as Phil Stooke put it, a problem with their position in relation to the sun and the radiating lunar surface, or their heat management system has a design flaw.

Posted by: Doc Nov 27 2008, 04:33 PM

Check out the post on the 'heat issue' at New scientist. Its just as we thought. Isro referred to the current situation as a 'local' summer, not a 'lunar' summer.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 28 2008, 01:11 AM

Back to the summer issue. I think that what is intended is this: the spacecraft's orbit plane right now is roughly aligned with the sun - i.e. the sun is now in or close to the orbit plane, so the spacecraft fies over the sub-solar longitude on every orbit. Three months from now the orbit will be over the terminators, which will give a lot less heating from the ground. Six months from now, it will be passing over the sub-solar longitude again. Put another way, the orbit plane is fixed in space. It's not like Mars Odyssey etc., crossing the equator at a fixed time of day on every orbit, which requires the orbit plane to rotate during a Mars year.

But summer this is not!

Phil

Posted by: mcaplinger Nov 28 2008, 04:17 AM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Nov 27 2008, 05:11 PM)

Posted by: Phil Stooke Nov 28 2008, 11:40 AM

Yes, Mike, it is the same. Just expanding on it a bit,

Phil

Posted by: callisto Nov 29 2008, 06:42 PM

some updates on chandrayaan.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Two_more_Chandrayaan_instruments_to_be_activated_in_mid-December/articleshow/3773951.cms

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 29 2008, 08:13 PM

... and the standart question - will we ever see more pictures from MIP at all?

Posted by: Doc Nov 29 2008, 10:26 PM

I don't want to sound like a pessimist, but we must understand that India is in a state of emergency. Some very close relatives of mine almost got caught up in the situation....

Posted by: Zvezdichko Nov 29 2008, 10:29 PM

Doc... I just watched the news on TV... is this about a banned topic at UMSF? If so, I understood you...

Posted by: djellison Nov 29 2008, 10:50 PM

I think it's fair to say that the Indian authorities and the Indian press have far far bigger issues at the moment. Politics are totally banned from UMSF, so discussion of that subject is not allowed. Patience is called for.

Once again, however, I find myself wondering why people post here asking when people who have nothing to do with the forum will release something.

Posted by: ngunn Nov 30 2008, 12:02 AM

QUOTE (djellison @ Nov 29 2008, 10:50 PM)

Posted by: Paolo Nov 30 2008, 12:07 PM

QUOTE (Zvezdichko @ Nov 26 2008, 09:23 AM)

Posted by: Hungry4info Nov 30 2008, 11:37 PM

Nice video! Is it real? Or computer animated? I thought it might be computer animated, but I'm really not very sure. It keeps lagging on my computer with a horribly low frame rate. =|
Where can I download the video?

Posted by: sssalvi Dec 1 2008, 08:30 AM

QUOTE (Hungry4info @ Dec 1 2008, 05:07 AM)

Posted by: kenny Dec 1 2008, 03:05 PM

The version on YouTube is described as a "fly through". To me this means a computer-generated journey through a 3-D computer-constructed landscape, whihc inthis case is generated using real moon images. What's more, it seeme to be too low to be the real orbital altitude.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Dec 1 2008, 05:42 PM

Yes indeed, a flythrough of a computer-generated 3D landscape, like the Kaguya movies we have seen - Tycho, Alpine Valley etc. Let's hope we get the descent movie from the impact probe soon! I'm still trying to reconcile the various reports on the impact site - some say inside Shackleton, others 32 km from Shackleton...

Phil

Posted by: kenny Dec 1 2008, 11:05 PM

Excuse me if I have I have missed something, as I've been visiting the Chicxulub area ... (place-name dropping, I know).

But...has anyone manged to "nest" the two descent images inside one another? I failed, after turning one round by about 180 degrees so the two sun directions correspond.

Posted by: Phil Stooke Dec 2 2008, 02:57 AM

They are not nested - the camera was looking sideways, not forwards. I have posted an image showing their locations above in this thread (post 261).

Phil

Posted by: kenny Dec 2 2008, 11:24 AM

Nice job, thanks. Not easy, with the different illuminations between Clementine and MIP.